WEST CHESTER — If Saturday’s rally in the borough is any indication, the anti-Trump movement is getting louder, larger and stronger.
In what the Daily Local News estimated was the largest rally ever in the borough, thousands of super-charged, peaceful demonstrators slammed the Trump administration and its policies at the second No Kings Rally, at the Historic Courthouse.
With protest signs held high, car horns honking in support and speakers yelling rally chants, overflow Trump protesters packed both sides of High Street in front of the courthouse.
West Chester police decided prior to the event to not close High Street and thousands of overflow demonstrators filled up and down Gay, High and Market street sidewalks, while cheering wildly, although many could not hear the event presenters broadcast on a PA system.
John Parker Studebaker, a community organizer from Phoenixville, closed the rally and said that President Donald Trump is waging a war on democracy itself, and taking away free speech.
The West Chester rally was one of more than 2,500 nationwide that millions attended.
“The only thing they have is tyranny,” Parker Studebaker said. “We have the masses and millions out in the streets. We have the fight for justice and equality on our side. We have love.”
The organizers were Indivisible Chester County, Way Forward, Party for Socialism and Liberation and Taylors Music Store and Studio.
Downingtown Mayor Phil Dague represented Indivisible and said that the event was “amazing, beautiful and wonderful,” with the only thing not beautiful the reason everyone was meeting.
He talked about why the demonstrators had met for the No Kings rallies.
“With one voice, we said America has got no (expletive) king,” Dague said. “Here we go again.”
Chef Joe McAllister talked about paying his health care premiums out-of-pocket over the past 18 years and said that Republican health plans would exhaust his savings.
He said the ongoing shutdown is meant to distract from health care funding, a “barf bill” that only funds the richest 1 percent, and to resist.
Almost everyone raised a protest sign high. They read: “No Bullies No Toadies,” “We the People Say No Kings,” “This Is What Democracy looks like,” “8647,” “Unmask ICE And Stop ‘Em Cold,” “No Kings Since 1776,” “When Cruelty Becomes Normal Compassion Looks Radical” and “We Are So Much Better Than This.”
Free speech lawyer Garen Meguerian implored the crowd to protect the Pennsylvania courts.
“The most dangerous minority group in the United States is the billionaires,” he said.
He also said that billionaires are targeting elections through gerrymandering so that politicians and not voters will decide who serves.
“Gerrymandering turns democracy on its head,” he said. “It rigs elections.”
Megerian said that billionaires are spending millions on false ads to confuse voters with shameless lies.
He told the audience to vote “yes” to retain the three sitting Supreme Court judges in Pennsylvania.
Rally chants included: “The people united will never be defeated.” And, “Hey, hey, ho, ho, racism has got to go.”
Talia, director of the Philadelphia Liberation Center, discussed what she called Trump’s unleashing on the Black and brown communities.
She said that bringing in the National Guard was not about safety or to protect communities, but the opposite.
“Safety is not created by more police or the National Guard taking over,” she said. “When they attack one of us, they will attack all of us, unless we fight back.
“Fight back and encourage others to fight back.”
Immigrant rights organizer Brittany told the crowd that they were not just there to protest, but to resist.
“ICE does not keep us safe,” she said. “ICE targets families. It’s about control of immigrant families.
“Safety is found in community, not in cages. ICE doesn’t belong in a democracy, (or) in a just community.”
The Rev. Josh Gill, of Central Presbyterian Church of Downingtown, spoke about Carlos Belle Valle, an immigrant who has been detained, who he wants to bring home to West Chester.
He said that his Bible tells him to welcome the immigrant and to treat him like our own.
“Support those hiding in fear,” Gill said. “Bring Carlos home.”
A junior in high school spoke and asked to give a voice to those who don’t have a voice.
“Not doing anything is not an option,” she said. “Silence is violence.”
Wife and husband, Lucy and John Brakall, came from Pennsbury.
“Trump is destroying our Constitution,” Lucy said. “He is breaking all the norms and rules of our country. He’s an autocrat. Everything about him is evil.”
Her husband explained why he was there.
“I am obligated to protest against the injustice of the Trump administration,” he said.
Guitarist Anna Spackman led off with tunes and The Justice Singers, started by Janine Galen, completed the event.
Source: Berkshire mont
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