Published in print and online
Story by Anisah Abdullah
My contribution:
"UPDATE: 2 p.m.
Around 80 people showed up with signs, flags and anti-Trump attire, such as a white suit that is made to look like it’s covered in blood, at the protest in Water Mill, which ended at about 2 p.m.—well past its scheduled 1:00 p.m. conclusion.
The suit is worn by Richard Darling. The suit addresses violence in the country, especially with the recent shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio which led to a collective loss of 31 people, he said.
“Two days [after his visit to Dayton and El Paso,] he’s out raising money for his next campaign of hatred,” Mr. Darling said.
The protest was organized by local and grass root organizations such as Progressive East End Reformers (PEER), a multi-issue grassroot organization that advocates for racial, social and environmental justice. A similar protest was organized during Mr. Trump’s visit to the East End last year.
“I’d like [the people driving by] to see that the East End is for American values,” Kathyrn Szoka of PEER said. “We want to support our democracy.”
She added: “We are united against hate and in favor of drawing grassroot organizations together to mobilize changes, come 2020.”
This protest was not the first for Lisa Votino, a community organizer, who brought her 6-year-old daughter, Lily.
Her sign addressed the minors kept at migrant detention centers, and read “are we great yet?’” The sign was personal to her, she said, because she volunteered with asylum seekers in Tijuana, Mexico.
“Mr. Trump’s slogan is ‘Make America great again’ and I see nothing great happening right now,” Ms. Votino said. “I see kids in cages, I see logistics, policies and tweets that have real repercussions on the grounds and I’ve been witness to that many times.”
At about 11:45 a.m., speeches were given by a select few, including Ms. Szoka and Rabbi Jan Uhrbach of Conservative Synagogue of the Hamptons.
“We are facing a moral crisis in our country that is dangerous, obviously physically, as evidenced by the recent shootings and all violence in the country, but also spiritually to the soul of the country,” Rabbi Uhrbach said. “All spiritual leaders should speak out from a place of faith on moral issues.”
Though many of those driving past the protest on Montauk Highway honked and gave a thumbs up in approval, some disagreed with the protesters stance, yelling back sayings such as “Trump 2020!”
Protester Sandy Mancini affirmed that everyone at the protest remained respectful, expressing their freedom of speech. She said that the crowd “was great.”
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