Thousands of protesters gathered Saturday across Warren, Youngstown, and Mercer County as part of the "Hands Off!" protests — one of over 1,000 demonstrations held across the U.S. and abroad. The movement, described by organizers as the largest single-day protest since President Donald Trump began his second term, aimed to send a unified message: “Hands off our rights, our democracy, and our future.”

In downtown Warren, local activist Lauren Matthews said the protest was about more than politics. “This is not right or left. This is not a partisan issue. This is about people, and this is about our community,” she said. Matthews emphasized that residents from across the region — not just Trumbull County — turned out to speak up against policies they believe are harming their communities.

That sense of urgency resonated in Mercer County, where protester Rhonda Paglia called out what she described as a deterioration of democratic norms and basic services. “We don’t have a king in this country. We have a democracy,” she said. A retired teacher, Paglia expressed concern over the defunding of public education, threats to Social Security and Medicare, and increasing efforts to privatize government programs.

Paglia added that many who joined the protest felt a responsibility to speak for those who couldn’t. “We’re advocating for our country, for the Constitution to be followed, and for our federal judges to be retained — not for a dictatorship to take over,” she said.

In Youngstown, as in the other locations, participants carried signs, chanted peacefully, and stood in solidarity. The tone at each demonstration remained calm and respectful, something organizers had emphasized in the days leading up to the event.

Gary Tuttle, who helped organize the Warren protest, said peaceful demonstration was a core value of the movement. “We’re not here to cause problems. We’re not here to fight with people who are opposite of our opinions,” he explained. “This is about peaceful demonstration — just like Martin Luther King or Gandhi. That’s what we’re striving for.”

Though many attendees were new to activism, some were seasoned advocates. Charles Burger, a military veteran with over two decades of service in the Marine Corps and Air Force Reserves, said he joined the protest out of concern for future generations.

“I have grandchildren. They have to live in this country,” Burger said. “And what kind of future are they going to have?”

Between the three sites, organizers estimated thousands participated. While each gathering had its own local flavor, the overarching message was shared: stop the growing concentration of power in the hands of the few, and return it to the people.

“This is America’s country,” Paglia said. “And we have the right to protest what’s happening in our country.”

As chants of “Hands Off!” echoed across Ohio and Pennsylvania, organizers and attendees alike vowed that this would not be the last time their voices would be heard.