Joining the countless other American protestors over the weekend was a very special Mario brother. The Hands-Off protest in NYC included a man in a Luigi hat and fake moustache, as seen in an X video @elaadeliahu. Instead of a Fire Flower or Star, however, he held a sign featuring the faces of Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Written across them was the word, “Depose.” It’s part of the famous phrase etched on the bullets that killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December. The person who allegedly shot him, Luigi Mangione, remains in custody. When questioned about the meaning of his outfit and sign, the New York protestor said what he needed to and nothing more.
NYC Hands-Off Protest Gets Visit From Luigi
“This is the Mario Bros,” the protestor said when asked about his hat. “The Luigi – it’s a character on Nintendo.” When then asked why he decided to protest, the man added, “Because Trump, and Musk, and the entire GOP administration are a threat to the Constitution in this country.” With extrajudicial abductions and disappearances becoming the norm across the U.S., there’s reason for concern. Whether one hates or venerates the Constitution doesn’t change the fact that human rights abuses are occurring.
Many Americans are outraged at the idea of kings or oligarchs running the country. Pairing Mangione’s famous phrase with the faces of public figures is a clear call for change. Someone at the Hands-Off protest in NYC asked the Luigi protestor about that connection, saying, “Why does it say ‘Depose’ over his face? Is there a reference to Mangione, between the hat and the ‘Depose’?” The Luigi protestor kept his answer short, saying,
“Oh, uh, no.”
The U.S. government is now seeking the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, though his guilt has yet to be proven. Corporate interests have long held power in the U.S. The last thing that CEOs within the American empire want is copycat assassins. Martyring Mangione, however, may accomplish the opposite of what Trump and his allies want. With Trump’s tariffs set to obliterate an already ill economy, paying medical bills is about to be even harder for the average American. Regardless of how the Switch 2 performs, Nintendo can probably at least count on hat sales in 2025.
