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By BRIAN DONOHUE
Roughly 2,000 people packed Red Bank’s rainy Riverside Gardens Park carrying signs and shouting slogans as part of a nationwide protest against a range of actions by the administration of President Donald Trump Saturday.
(Photos by Sabrina Lunanuova and Brian Donohue)
Attendees gathered around a tent on the north end of the park to hear speeches from activists and elected officials while others lined the sidewalk creating a two-hour cacophony of chants, drums and car horns from supportive passersby traveling on West Front Street.
More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations were planned across the US by more than 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists. The protest sites included the National Mall in Washington, D.C., state capitols and other locations in all 50 states.
Protesters assailed the Trump administration’s moves to fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security Administration field offices, effectively shutter entire agencies, deport immigrants, scale back protections for transgender people and cut federal funding for health programs
Despite the rain and chilly temperatures, the turnout was markedly larger than a similar anti-Trump Women’s Day March through town less than a month ago. Both marches were coordinated by Red Bank Deputy Mayor Kate Triggiano.
Speaking to the crowd Triggiano thanked veterans for their service and referred to several family members who served in the military saying, “My family did not sacrifice for our country to fall to fascism.”
Other elected officials representing Red Bank attended included Mayor Billy Portman, Congressman Frank Pallone and Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul.
Partners included American Friends Service Committee, Garden State Equality, Climate Revolution Action Network, Leage of Conservation Voters and the League of Women Voters.
Red Bank Police Chief Mike Frazee put the crowd estimate at roughly 2,000 people.
As the crowd dwindled, Neil Scheck of Belmar walked the perimeter of the park picking up trash, some of which had been there before the protest began.
“I think it’s important for the image of the cause to leave the place cleaner than we found it,” he said.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
