Thousands of people took to the streets in more than 20 cities and towns across Maine on Saturday to protest what they say is the chaos, harm and threats to democracy caused by the Trump administration and unelected billionaire Elon Musk.
There was no official count, but police estimated a crowd of thousands gathered in Portland's Monument Square for one of the largest "Hands Off" rallies to urge Congress to defend the Constitution and fight back.
In Maine, the events were organized as part of a national day of action by groups including the AFL-CIO, Indivisible, MoveOn, the League of Conservation Voters, the League of Women Voters and Americans for Tax Fairness.
Emily Gray, a Democrat from Cumberland, said she has been sending messages to members of Maine's congressional delegation and she's not especially pleased with the response she has gotten back.
"I'm fearful about losing security and the ability to speak up and come to things like this," she said. "I'm terrified of losing the support we have for science that actually saves lives."
Carole Jeanne, a Democrat and veteran from Portland, says President Donald Trump and Musk have gone too far by challenging the independence of the courts. And she's concerned about deep cuts to the Veterans Administration.
"Cuts to the VA are very, very hurtful," she said. "My dad was a veteran, and he got great healthcare. I'm afraid for veterans' healthcare."
Many protesters carried signs attacking Trump and Musk by name along with the Department of Government Efficiency, which has been dismantling entire departments, agencies and programs and laying off tens of thousands of federal workers. Others carried signs that read "Hands off Social Security," "Hands off the VA," Hands off Health Care" and Hands off democracy."
In Auburn, where more than 200 people lined both sides of the Longley Bridge, Audie Conrad said his biggest concern is that Americans are losing their freedom. Conrad describes himself as a "good old Maine independent" who is also a student of military and political history.
"The handwriting on the wall is not good," said Conrad, who carried a sign that read: "Know the truth. We will not be 1933 Germany."
Passing motorists honked their horns in support and 82-year-old Richard Fochtmann of Leeds said he was encouraged by both the turnout and the show of support. A Democrat, he says he's convinced that eventually the people who are currently in power will be ousted one way or the other. But until then, he admits he has grave concerns about the direction the nation is headed.
"What concerns me the most is that the Republicans have forgotten that they pledged to honor and protect the Constitution," he said. "When I grew up Republicans and Democrats didn't agree on a lot of things but we didn't have this kind of divide."
It isn't just Democrats and independents who are sounding the alarm. Jim Crowley, a Republican from Wiscasset, says he has never been a fan of President Trump and he's not one who normally joins a protest, but this time he said he felt he needed to stand up.
"It feels like I've stepped into some kind of a collection of science fiction short stories, and every story is worse than the previous one," Crowley said. "I'm just flabbergasted. ... I want to do whatever I can."
Crowley was among those who joined a large rally at the State House in Augusta, estimated by Augusta police to number larger than 2,000. Like many others, Crowley is also worried about the fallout of Trump's tariffs on the economy and the harm he says is being done to individuals.
"You don't run a country like that," he said.
