Hands Off rally in Chester draws large, peaceful crowd

Main Street in Chester on Saturday as the Hands Off protest was in high gear. Click any photo to launch gallery. <small> Photos by Shawn Cunningham unless otherwise noted</small>

Main Street in Chester on Saturday as the Hands Off protest was in high gear. Click any photo to launch gallery. Photos by Shawn Cunningham unless otherwise noted

By Shawn Cunningham and Cynthia Prairie
© 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC

A crowd of around 500 showed up on the Chester Green on chilly, gray Saturday to send a message to the Trump administration and that message was “Hands Off.” Protesters brought mostly hand-made signs that expressed the taxpayer-funded services and rights they wanted left alone or restored, among them: Social Security, due process and kinder immigration policies, education, a free press, Medicare and Medicaid.

Elon Musk was the target of a good share of the crowd's ire

Elon Musk was the target of a good share of the crowd’s ire

But it was the actions of billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency – DOGE – that came in for some of the most pointed criticism, including calls to deport the world’s richest man.

The protest – which was scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to noon – was organized by the Chester Democratic Committee, and was part of a larger, nationwide day of protest set in motion by groups such as Indivisible and Women’s March. More than 1,250 events were held throughout the country — about 24 in Vermont alone — attracting more than 6 million people.

In Chester, most of the participants were local, but it still attracted people from nearby towns including Grafton, Weston, Andover, Saxtons River, Londonderry and Springfield. Some made the trip from greater distances including Brownsville, Vt., several towns in New Hampshire and even Massachusetts. While the crowd skewed to those with gray hair, there were quite a number of families with young children and a good representation by dogs.

Several people spoke to the gathering including town Democratic Committee chair Nick Boke, Robert Nied, Aimee Parnell, Renee Nied and Steve Dock. Windsor County state Sens. Alison Clarkson and Becca White also joined sign-wavers and even made brief remarks, before heading to rallies in the northern part of the county.

Dock, who with Anne Kelley Henshaw organized the event, said that Henshaw lined up the speakers while Evan Parks pulled together the sound and music.

Chester Democratic Committee chair Nick Boke tells the crowd of the value of activism

Chester Democratic Committee chair Nick Boke tells the crowd of the value of activism

On Sunday, Henshaw said, “I asked these individuals because I knew they believed in the power of community, collaborative activism, and the need to maintain hope and stamina in the face of the challenges ahead. …  I knew they would reaffirm … that together we stand stronger…”

She added that each person talked about how the Trump administration has “negatively impacted them, their families and their communities.”

A drone photo taken early in the rally. <small>Image courtesy of Tuckerman Wunderle</small>

A drone photo taken early in the rally. Image courtesy of Tuckerman Wunderle

Boke spoke of the need for continuing activism and reminded the crowd of Molly Ferris, who for many years was a Saturday fixture on the Green as she protested for peace. Robert Nied told the crowd that demonstrations are not a waste of time and have resulted in real change, saying “… today across the country, streets are full of people who are willing … and ready to lead this country with compassion and vision.”

Parnell spoke of her experience in the Peace Corps and the value of USAID, a federal agency that specializes in “soft diplomacy” through education and medical aid worldwide and that the administration is trying to shutter, while Renee Nied spoke of this movement as a tide that should lift all boats, not just the yachts.

In closing, Dock thanked the crowd for coming and bringing their energy and voices to make a difference. “We have no choice but to act and confront the unfolding tragedy that is happening around us,” said Dock who then asked those gathered to make sure they leave the Green as clean as they found it out of respect for the community.

It went as expected, it was peaceful
and a lot larger than anticipated.

– Chester Police Chief Tom Williams

Chester Police Chief Tom Williams was on hand at the east end of the Green. He told The Telegraph the police presence was to ensure there was no trouble.

“It went as expected, it was peaceful and a lot larger than anticipated,” Williams said as the rally wound down. “And no matter what the event, it’s always good getting to see and speak with the community.”

Little in the way of counter protest

A single counter protester joined in with his opinion of Musk's DOGE.

A single counter protester joined in with his opinion of Musk’s DOGE.

While organizers were expecting some measure of counter protest, the only indication of that was one man who held a “Support DOGE” sign while another drove a boom truck sporting Trump flags back and forth on Main Street every few minutes.

A few protesters jeered and flashed their signs at the truck driver, but organizers had asked the gathering to simply turn their backs when he drove by. And according to Dock, the national organization had also asked that people not engage with counter protesters and to remain peaceful.

At a little after noon, as many demonstrators could be seen walking back to their cars, a handful of stalwarts continued to show their signs to passing cars as the rain came down.

A surprise turnout; organizing for the future

Rally co-organizer Steve Dock, right, with speaker Robert Nied,

Rally co-organizer Steve Dock, right, with speaker Robert Nied,

On Sunday, Dock told The Telegraph that he had learned of the April 5 Hands Off national demonstration through an organization called Third Act and thought “Wow, I wonder if we could do that in Chester.”

Dock said he approached Town Manager Julie Hance, who said that the Green is a public space, but asked that rally-goers not interfere with traffic and clean up after themselves. He also got a thumbs up from the police and ambulance departments. At that point, he said he thought the event might attract 30 to 50 people.

The turnout far exceeded the organizers' expectations. <small>Photo by Cynthia Prairie</small>

The turnout far exceeded the organizers’ expectations. Photo by Cynthia Prairie

He registered with Hands Off and began to get sign-ups by those who said they were coming. By 9:30 on Saturday morning, 170 people had registered but with the weather looking cool and possibly rainy, Dock said he was hoping for a turnout of 50 to 70. By 10:30 the number was closing in on 300 and by 11:30 a.m., with a light rain falling for about 15 minutes and some protesters heading home, two separate head-counts conducted by The Telegraph, found between 435 and 450 people still attending. As the numbers continued to grow throughout the morning, so did the organizers’ surprise at the turnout.

One thing the organization said it wanted to do was respect the businesses on the Green. “The local organization also asked people not to park on the Green and (also) to patronize the nearby businesses,” said Dock.

As for the future of such demonstrations, Dock said, “One demonstration won’t change the course of this administration. There will be more, we have to be prepared to do it again and again.”

Click any photo to launch the gallery.

 

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  1. Kem Phillips says:

    Mr. Stuart Lindberg writes that “these well meaning citizens” “need to kero (sic) their hands in their own pockets and hands off my paycheck.” Agreed. Mr. Lindberg is an anti-vaxxer who has no background in medicine or any other branch of science. So, in return, I request that he keep his viruses to himself.

  2. Randy Miles says:

    I went by main street at 10:30 and there were protesters on both sides of the street. in the road and blocking the sidewalk. Not sure who was running this event did not look like anyone in charge or trying to keep out of town protesters off the road? Very hard to drive through as well as no open spots to park for our businesses (photos do not lie). The difference between republican and democrat protest is one is organized the other is not. Saturdays was very unorganized not sure if anyone was in charge of there protesters? To end this is some facts for everyone. Our U.S. debt is 36 TRILLION DOLLARS and rapidly growing. we have 342 billion humans in our country. If we right now wanted to balance our debt every man woman and every child would have to pay $107,000 and if you put the bill on only ones paying taxes it would be $323,000 per tax payer. Our U.S. debt is expected to be 74 trillion in just a few years. Our school budget of 18 million will double in 9 years with no sign of better education? This debt is on all of us right now if we keep spending with no reform our kids will be left with a horrifying situation that they may not be able to pay? This should be the time to take charge and cut waste and come up with better solutions not spend spend spend. For those of you who do not see this or agree with this. Please look at your children and try sincerely to say? you are very sorry for what is coming your way! Now is the time for all politicians to work TOGETHER to try and solve our problems, not wast time and pretend we have a limitless credit card that we have no bill for. For the record this 36 trillion debt is from both republicans and democrats over time. There is no way we will not feel some pain in getting a hold of our spending and our debt. Do you really think pushing this off to our kids is the right choice for us all?

  3. Robert Nied says:

    Mr. Adams’ comment includes the word “vermin” to describe the more than 400 people who participated in the Hands Off rally and thinks they should go to prison. The people Mr. Adams is referring to include an elderly woman I spoke with who is terrified of losing her Social Security, which is her only income and her only way to pay for food and medication. He is also talking about several parents with special needs children who said their kids may lose essential accommodation in school. He is talking about a man with a chronic illness that is treated through Medicare and a working mother who depends on SNAP benefits to help feed her children. Mr. Adams is also talking about several LGBTQ+ young people who held up rainbow signs because they just want to feel safe and not be the target of the present administration’s attacks on them and their community. All of those people brought their stories, their courage, and their kindness to that rally. I hope Mr. Adams can search his heart and find some of those same qualities in himself.

  4. Stuart Lindberg says:

    Meanwhile Republican Vermonters are pulling another Saturday shift to keep their families housed fed and property taxes paid as well as paying for ever growing mountain of fees being heaped upon us by Senators Whote and Clarkson. These well meaning citizens protesting with Hands Off signs need to kero their hands in their own pockets and hands off my paycheck.

  5. Beverly Hart says:

    Absolutely fantastic.

  6. Nate Adams says:

    Joe Biden and his tribe of discontent’s including Vermont’s Hands Off vermin need to be put in that Super Max Prison in Hell Salvador…lots of hair cutting therein!!

  7. Evan Parks says:

    Thank you so much for covering this important protest! It was so refreshing to have my faith in humanity restored, seeing democracy in action, people taking time out their busy lives to send messages of love and support for all of our fellow humans, bravely fighting fascism, hate, ignorance, selfishness, and deplorable depravity. Love is the weapon!