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Public Officials, Protesters Clad in Flags, A Handmaid Tale Cloak, and Lots of Tacos Lined the Protest Route on Saturday
An army of more than 2,500 protesters lined the junction of Middletown Road and Route 59 in Nanuet on a rainy Saturday to express anger at everything from the Trump administration’s policies to the president’s choice to stage a military parade in Washington concurrently.
Broadly themed “No Kings Day,” participants protested peacefully as part of a nationwide day of defiance and solidarity. Local organizations like Indivisible helped turned out the crowd. Public officials included Michael Kohut, mayor of the Village of Haverstraw, Richard Sena, Village of Haverstraw trustee, Rockland County Legislators Paul Cleary and Beth Davidson, who is running in a Democrat Congressional primary to oppose Mike Lawler in 2026.
For the first time in more than 30 years, the U.S. military is holding a spectacle to celebrate the 250th birthday of the Army. But the militaristic procession coincides with Donald Trump’s 79th birthday, as well as Flag Day. It also unfolded at the unprecedented moment when the president has deployed Marines and federalized National Guard troops to Los Angeles to tamp down protests over the administration’s deportation policies.
Many protesters in Nanuet sported signs opposing draconian ICE tactics, including sweeping scores of people off the streets without due process. Others created home-made signs alluding to the notion that Trump acts like a king. “Rejecting Kings Since 1776,” read one placard.
The protest tied up traffic along Route 59, while cars crawled through honking in support. Clarkstown residents Pam Hudson and Emily King took the crowd in a time machine with their own rendition of Neil Young’s “Ohio,” which paid tribute to the students killed at Kent State. Others poked fun at TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out), with taco-themed regalia.
Notably, the protest attracted a wide cross-section of the population, including kids, teens, parents, elders, and at least a few dogs. One gentleman dressed in a Handmaid’s Tale, a reference to authoritarian culture, while others wrapped themselves in the American flag. A group of children waved a f*** Trump banner – a striking moment amid the protesters. Many participants hoisted bullhorns, breaking into chants opposing what they see as an administration that is overreaching, shunning the rule of law, and trampling on traditional norms.
