More than 1,000 protests against President Donald Trump's policies are planned nationwide Saturday, including 98 in Pennsylvania. The "Hands Off" protests are backed by civil rights, environmental, education and labor groups.

Jessica Brittain, communications director for Action Together NEPA, said it's a nationwide call to oppose the administration's actions. She said Pennsylvanians want Trump and Elon Musk to leave a variety of services untouched - from the U.S. Department of Education and National Institutes of Health to the National Park Service.

"Hands off the essential services that are being cut - like Medicaid, Social Security, services for Veterans Affairs, the list goes on and on," she said. "Hands off our private information."

Brittain warned that Medicaid cuts in the GOP budget in Congress could affect millions of Pennsylvanians. Trump has contended they aim to save money, reduce crime and support the oil and gas industry for "energy independence."

Rallies are set for Saturday in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, with another in Lewisburg on Sunday, due to high demand.

Brittain said she thinks it is crucial for communities to stand up and make it clear that some of the cuts are harming families, friends and neighbors - and hopes federal and state elected officials get the message.

"They work for us," she said. "They don't work for Donald Trump, they don't work for Elon Musk, and they need to know that their constituents are mobilizing and expect them to do the right thing."

Vicki Miller, a group leader for Indivisible Philadelphia, said this large-scale event will provide a crucial outlet for those grappling with fear, anxiety and anger - offering a sense of solidarity and reassurance that they are not alone.

"We have over 5,000 people signed up," she said, "but we have more than that coming, because a lot of people are telling friends, or whatever, and they're not signing up, so we'll have a pretty good number of people."

The Philadelphia protest begins at noon at City Hall, with a march down Market Street to Independence Mall. Some of the groups involved include the Women's March, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Indivisible, MoveOn.org and the League of Conservation Voters.

Keystone State News Connection