Thousands of people rallied around the world on Saturday as part of the Hands Off movement.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, about 25,000 people gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol for what appears to be the largest rally there since the 2017 Women’s March about eight years ago.

The rally was organized by MN50501, Indivisible Twin Cities and Women’s March Minnesota.

Activists, Democratic politicians and everyday Minnesotans in attendance criticized the Trump administration’s moves, in part, to close Social Security offices, scale back protections for transgender people and cut thousands of federal jobs.

“Right here in Minnesota, we have roughly 18,000 federal employees who have been impacted,” said MN AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham.

Disabled war veteran Joy Marver spoke about her and other colleagues’ experience of losing their jobs recently at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“On Feb. 14, I witnessed a group of hard-working, high-performing colleagues lose their jobs under the guise of ‘poor performance,'” Marver said, using air quotes. “…despite their stellar reviews and achievements. And then, it happened to me.”

Those stories reached the ears of state and federal lawmakers from Minnesota, including Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota).

“Wow,” Rep. McCollum said, stepping up to the podium. “I feel like I’ve heard it from all of you, you’ve been calling the office.”

“You are breaking the phone lines in the U.S. Senate,” Sen. Klobuchar echoed. “Way to go!”

Elon Musk, who has been a key player in government downsizing efforts, has said he’s “saving taxpayers billions of dollars.”

In a statement to the AP in response to protests, the White House said, “President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats’ stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.”

Rallygoers statewide, including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who joined a crowd in Duluth, said this rally would not be the end of protest efforts.

“I want people to know that their attorney general, that’s me; We’ve sued now 14 times, and we’ve won every time,” Ellison said.

The ‘Hands Off’ rallies in St. Paul and Duluth were just two of roughly 30 across the state on Saturday, and at least one was scheduled in all 50 states.

In response, the Republican Party of Minnesota said, in part, “We fully support the First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful assembly — they are the cornerstones of our democracy. That said, this rally is being organized by some of the most radical progressive groups in Minnesota and across the country.”

Their full statement can be read below: