Latest in a series of local demonstrations against actions and policies of the Trump administration, the “Hands Off!” protest Saturday on the Bulloch County Courthouse square in Statesboro drew the largest crowd yet. It was also one of many such protests the same day – the Associated Press counted more than 1,200 such gatherings – in all 50 states.

As with the past Saturday protests in Statesboro, dating back to the first, generic one Feb. 22 and the demonstration specifically for human rights and fair treatment for immigrants on March 1, the Young Democrats of Bulloch County were a key organizing group. But with the nationwide “Hands Off” theme being understood to mean “Hands Off Social Security” and “Hands Off Medicare,” among other things, the April 5 protest also drew some church groups and older individuals.

After the crowd grew to about 150, participants with their signs and chants were able to line the length of the courthouse block along both East Main Street and North Main Street, while others still remained in the shaded organizing area near the south-facing steps.

Some of the other messages seen on signs were, “Hands Off Our … Bodies, Free Speech, Courts, Students, Social Security, Medicaid …, Constitution,” “Hands Off Veterans Services,” “Trump Failed Econ,” “Hands Off Our Economy,” “Hands Off Our Democracy,” “… Public Lands,” “… Civil Service,” “… Civil Rights.”

“Hate Won’t Make America Great” and “Choose Love” were a couple of the messages returning from previous Saturdays.

The online news organization The Current reported that the related protest in downtown Savannah drew more than 1,000 participants. Some people from the Statesboro area participated in protests at Brunswick and Athens, and TV news reports from the Atlanta metro area stated that turnout for the largest protest there exceeded 20,000.