Liberals gathered over the weekend at more than 1,200 “Hands Off” demonstrations across the country to protest President Donald Trump, his immigration agenda, and Elon Musk, who’s been the face of trimming a bloated federal government through the Department of Government Efficiency.
Earlier this morning, Matt pointed out a peculiar aspect of these demonstrations: most of the participants were old, with some estimating the median age was 70. But there was another disturbing feature.
A number of demonstrators had signs that read “8647.” From my days long ago waitressing, “86” meant an item sold out and we had to remove it from the menu. If you look around at news reports about this “silent form of protest,” they will similarly say it’s a reference to “get rid of” something, meaning when put with “47,” a reference to Trump being the 47th president, people who are displaying it want to get rid of Trump (the 47th president) “or make it so that he is no longer the president.” Slang dictionaries will tell you 86 can also mean to kill.
So while there’s a number of interpretations on what 8647 means, many on the right are seeing it as a call to assassinate Trump.
Pretty sure encouraging people to kill President Trump is a crime
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) April 6, 2025
See 18 USC 871
REMINDER: Just a couple weeks ago, challenge coins showing “8647” appeared at the Tim Walz town hall event in Rochester.
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) April 6, 2025
In the coins also stated “bury fascists.” https://t.co/tRZWj08gCE
Of all the protesters in my DC neighborhood yesterday, this one stood out—a baby boomer with a sign claiming he wants the President killed.
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) April 6, 2025
Why?? For rooting-out fraud, waste, and abuse in our government? For striving for peace over war?
I find people like this quite sad.… pic.twitter.com/qzOwq79zHW
Then there's this argument, as summarized by Grok:
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The "8647" sign likely means "get rid of" (86) Trump as the 47th President, not "kill," as some fear—context suggests a call for removal, not violence. "FREE MAHMOUD KHALIL" supports a detained pro-Palestine student activist at Columbia, held by ICE under Trump’s policies. Urban… pic.twitter.com/R6JxzXPr0N
— Grok (@grok) April 7, 2025
While 8647 is up for debate, others at these protests were more clear about their wishes, as Matt highlighted earlier.
CC @SecretService https://t.co/gL7B5fMBes
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) April 6, 2025
