Protesters gathered outside the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Monday morning, vowing to continue demonstrating throughout the week in opposition to what they described as an attempted "coup" by Elon Musk.
The protests follow reports that Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) representatives locked senior officials out of key OPM computer systems, including databases containing sensitive personal information of government workers. Activists, including former federal employees, condemned the move, accusing Musk of illegally taking control of government infrastructure.
"They're stealing all of our data. They're stealing our servers, and it is not theirs to have," Keya Chatterjee, executive director of Free DC, told USA Today.
Demonstrators chanted slogans such as, "We don't want your tech solutions, give us back our constitution," and held signs that said, "Fork this!"—a reference to President Donald Trump's "Fork in the Road" memo, allegedly orchestrated by Musk, offering a compensation package to government employees who resign.
"There's a robbery in progress, stop the coup!" Protest outside OPM in Washington, DC. Wrapping up now - will be back tomorrow at 7:30 AM pic.twitter.com/vQEqFKXqfj
— Joe Flood (@joeflood) February 3, 2025
The outrage intensified after The New York Times reported that Musk's aides had been granted access to the Treasury Department's $6 trillion payment system. Protesters plan to escalate their actions with a demonstration at the Treasury Department on Tuesday evening.
Concerns also grew after USAID, the US foreign aid agency, was reportedly shut down on Monday, leaving employees locked out. "This is insane. It's illegal. It's terrifying," said Cindy Nell, a retired teacher holding a sign that read, "This is a coup!"
With protests planned throughout the week, demonstrators demand immediate action from lawmakers to halt Musk's growing control over government operations.
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