Concerned citizens of Wellesley and surrounding towns gathered for a May Day National Day of Action on the front lawn of Wellesley Town Hall to protest the Trump administration and call for an end what many called a billionaire takeover of the United States. An estimated 1,000+ such rallies took place across the country.

Michael Gilman, a 35-year Wellesley resident who now lives in a nearby town, delivered a fiery start-off speech to a crowd of over 120 gathered on the Wellesley Town Hall front lawn.

“Like most of you here, I hold no position of authority,” Gilman said, “but come here as a concerned citizen troubled by the direction our country is taking under President 47 along with his sycophants including his unelected co-president Elon Musk and the rest of his knee-bending cabinet.”

Gilman listed his grievances with the Trump administration—mass elimination of thousands of government jobs; DOGE overreach; and the detention of  immigrants in the United States legally, and even of legal U.S. citizens. As he ticked off another bullet point on his list, the crowd shouted, “May Day,” as a distress signal, and to acknowledge May 1, the international workers’ holiday to commemorate the struggle for better working conditions and labor rights.

The entirety of Gilman’s remarks can be seen below.

“Trump just finished 100 days in office. We can’t take another day of him, let alone another 100.” said an attendee who did not wish to be named.

Michael Gilman’s May Day Rally comments:

[Read more…]

Many Wellesley residents traveled on Saturday by bus or train to Boston for a  nationwide “Hands Off” demonstration to express resistance against President Donald Trump’s second-term administration’s policies. They brought handmade signs voicing support for  immigrants and trans people, and anger over cuts in federal programs, including the layoffs of thousands of government employees. At the event, protesters chanted and rallied against billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s influence in the White House as a senior advisor to Trump, and Musk’s extensive involvement in the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The Hands Off demonstration was a grass-roots nationwide event. Organizers estimate that over 1,200 protests took place in cities and towns across the United States. In Boston between 25,000 and 30,000 attended the rally, according to Boston police estimates. Millions turned out across the country.

In Wellesley, a small crowd of around 30 showed up in Wellesley Hills, across the street from Papa Razzi.

Many thanks to those who passed along pictures: