Demonstrators across major European cities, including London, Paris, Berlin, and Lisbon, rallied on April 5 to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent trade policies, particularly the implementation of “reciprocal tariffs.” These levies, which include a 10% minimum baseline tariff on all imports and higher rates for nations with significant trade deficits with the United States, have led to a sharp decline in global stock markets and sparked widespread concern.
In London, hundreds gathered at Trafalgar Square, many of them members of the UK branch of Democrats Abroad. Protesters carried signs reading “No to MAGA hate,” “Greenland is Not For Sale,” and “Hate Will Never Make America Great.” One protester, a 37-year-old woman from Philadelphia draped in an American flag passed down from her grandfather, a World War II veteran, expressed her dismay at the current U.S. administration. “I don’t want to alienate the rest of the world. It’s not going to be useful for anyone in the long run,” she said. “I have friends in the United States who are marching in protest, and I wanted to march with them in solidarity.”
Lisbon saw several hundred Americans rallying to defend civil liberties and freedom of expression. Organized by Americans living in Portugal, the event featured slogans like “Hands Off the Constitution” and “What America Needs, Portugal Knows.” Caryl Hallberg, 73, a longtime activist and registered Democrat who moved to Portugal after traveling across Europe, voiced concerns over pension cuts affecting American retirees and criticized the impact of tariffs and a weakening U.S. dollar. “He’s trying to take away rights on every level,” she said.
In Paris, about 200 people gathered at Place de la République, delivering speeches and holding signs that read “Resist the Tyrant” and “Rule of Law.” One participant performed Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War,” adding a musical backdrop to the demonstration.
Germany also witnessed protests in Berlin and Frankfurt. In Berlin, protesters assembled outside a Tesla showroom and the U.S. embassy, denouncing both Trump and Elon Musk. Some held signs calling for “an end to the chaos” in the United States.
These European rallies followed widespread protests across the United States in response to controversial policies unveiled by the Trump administration since January. Organized by a coalition of more than 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labor unions, and veterans’ associations, over 1,400 protests have taken place nationwide, highlighting growing global discontent with the current U.S. policies.
