Third No Kings protest draws more than a hundred to Monroe

Over 150 people gathered between Lake Street and Route 17M on March 28 for the third round of “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s administrative policies.

The protest, organized by Hands Off Hudson Valley, is one of over 3,300 demonstrations that took place in all 50 states. According to the No Kings Coalition, an estimated eight million people participated in Saturday’s protest, making it one of the largest protests in modern American history.

Nora Staffanell, a Monroe resident and founding member of Hands Off Hudson Valley, was struck by the turnout, noting that previous rallies drew about 20 people. She said she hopes the larger crowd sends a message that “democracy is alive and well.”

Standing on the corner of the intersection, attendees erupted into cheers as passing cars honked in support of the protest. Some attendees waved American flags and carried signs expressing resistance to the administration.

State of the nation’s democracy

Richard Karcher of Monroe returned for his third “No Kings” rally, noting that his ancestor, Philip Livingston, was a Founding Father who signed the Declaration of Independence. He said attending the protest is his way of continuing that legacy.

For Karcher, the state of the country’s democracy is a major issue that motivated him to take part in the protest. He said Trump’s executive actions bypassing Congress are an overreach and are moving the country closer to a dictatorship.

“Our democracy is slowly being eroded by a man who calculatedly makes sure he circumvents all of the things that are democratic,” Karcher said. “Congress was never asked about a war. Congress was never asked about funding. All of those are the purviews of Congress.”

ICE and immigration policy

The third round of protests comes as the administration continues its immigration crackdown across the country. The administration’s policies have sparked national debate in recent months following the killings of observers Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as well as the detention of 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father in Minneapolis.

Monroe resident and event organizer Carol Sotiropoulos said she attended the demonstration to stand against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its enforcement actions. She voiced opposition against the administration’s immigration policy, describing it as “illegal.”

“The promise of Trump was that he was going to round up the violent criminals and deport them,” Sotiropoulos said. “But instead, people who are being rounded up, many are citizens and many who are not citizens are simply undocumented, which is not a criminal offense ... There is a difference between a criminal and someone who has committed a civil offense.”

Teresa, a Tuxedo resident who declined to give her last name for privacy reasons, voiced disapproval of ICE’s tactics. Like many attendees, she expressed support for immigration, citing its role in helping the country grow.

“It’s a fallacy to think we shouldn’t be growing our economy,” she said. “When immigrants come to this country, they add to and are a benefit to this country. So, I don’t believe that we should be stopping people from coming to this country.”

The war in Iran

The ongoing war in Iran was a key source of anger among attendees, with some chanting, “we don’t want this f— war,” a contrast to Trump’s campaign promises to avoid new foreign conflicts.

On Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that he expects the war to end “in a matter of weeks.” At the same time, reports of additional U.S. military personnel being sent to the region have fueled speculation about a potential ground operation, though officials have not confirmed any such plans.

“No boots on the ground,” Irene, a Tuxedo resident who declined to give her last name for privacy reasons, said. “We did what we did, it’s time to get out.”

Following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting disruption to global oil supplies, attendees said they’re already feeling the effects. According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (SERDA), the weekly average for motor gasoline prices in Upstate New York currently stands at about $3.79 per gallon, up roughly 80 cents from the week of Mar. 2.

Sotiropoulos said she now keeps her home’s temperature at 58 degrees due to the rising cost of heating oil. Echoing others at the protest, she cast doubt on the administration’s justification for military action.

“We should not be in Iran,” Sotiropoulos said. “We should not be fighting Israel’s war. There’s no benefit to us being involved in this war ... It’s a war that has no clear goal. No one in the government has articulated a clear outcome.”

Affordability and food prices

In addition to rising gas prices, attendees also expressed grievances about the rising costs of groceries.

According to the Consumer Price Index, the index for grocery store food purchases last month in the New York Metropolitan area rose 0.8 percent, an increase of 3.4 percent from last year.

Karcher said that when he goes to the supermarket, bread that once cost about a dollar now costs twice as much. In light of the war in Iran, he expressed concern about how rising gas prices could affect the food supply chain, driving food prices even higher.

“If gas prices go up, all of the people who pay down the line to have that produce sent to markets will pass those prices onto the American people,” Karcher said. “Just like the tariffs. Who’s paying the price of the tariffs? The people who buy things that come from other countries.”

Looking towards the future

As the midterm election approaches, attendees expressed their desire for a shakeup in Congress. Some attendees argued that congressional Democrats are not meeting expectations in fighting back against the administration’s policies.

Sotiropoulos said she wants to see Democrats take back control of the House and Senate in the midterms. She added that she also wants to see more progressive Democrats be elected, replacing moderate Democrats.