'No Kings' rallies draw thousands protesting Trump across Long Island

Thousands of protesters at more than a dozen locations from Port Washington to East Hampton rallied Saturday to denounce what they view as an increasingly authoritarian regime under the Trump administration.

Long Island demonstrators joined the nationwide movement known as "No Kings" rallies organized locally by a coalition of advocacy groups.

Many held signs with messages like "Democracy has no kings" and "We love America. We hate kings," while chanting and singing in front of court houses, along streets and at churches. The first nationwide "No Kings" rally was held in June to coincide with a military parade celebrating the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C.

Dozens of protesters interviewed in Mineola, Port Jefferson and Patchogue voiced concern over looming health care cuts, escalating immigration raids conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the prosecution of perceived political opponents and government overreach.

Outside the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola, Larry Hass said there is a cumulative effect of the nationwide protests that have drawn tens of thousands of people on Long Island during President Donald Trump's second term.

"Every change always started in the streets," said Hass, 68, of Syosset, adding he's concerned the government will cut services like Social Security benefits and Medicare.

"We gotta do something to stop this," he said.

Republican leaders dismissed protesters' concerns and said their anger should be aimed at Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown, which stretched into its 18th day Saturday.

Suffolk County Republican Committee Chairman Jesse Garcia, in an interview Saturday, called the rallies "nothing more than a public relations campaign by Democrats who do not have solutions." He referred to the demonstrators as "paid protesters."

In a statement, David Laska, director of communications for the New York State Republican Party, blamed Democrats for the federal shutdown, criticized them for supporting New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and said, “Americans are too smart to be lectured about political norms" by the party.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had dubbed the event the "Hate America Rally."

Both Suffolk and Nassau county police had no reports of incidents or arrests at protests in their jurisdictions. The NYPD estimated more than 100,000 people peacefully rallied across New York City and said no arrests were made.

Free speech

Suffolk police estimated 1,000 people lined Great Patchogue Lake and hoisted signs, waved American flags and blew bubbles as cars passed on Holbrook Road.

Unionized health care workers joined the rally to push back against deep cuts to health care and Medicare they said put their jobs and patients at risk.

"It's dangerous," said Matthew Smith, 35, of Mastic, who's a delegate for 1199 SEIU United Health Care workers employed at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. 

Wearing cardboard crowns embellished with "no kings," Krista Revak, 58, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her father.

Michael Revak, 85, fled Romania as a child during World War II and said Trump's administration poses a threat to democracy.

"I had seen it coming," he said. "I'm concerned about my grandchildren and children. The next generation gets stuck with this system. And it's not fun."

Protecting free speech was a key theme at Saturday's demonstrations.

Chloe Virgona, of Islip, held the text of the First Amendment on a large board at the Patchogue rally.

"[Trump] is trying to prosecute his political opponents, going after Jimmy Kimmel, saying anyone who's anti-fascist can be considered a terrorist so that way they lose their rights and they can be fast-tracked to jail, which is against our fundamental rights," said Virgona, 37.

'Save our democracy'

The groups Show Up Long Island, Engage Long Island and Long Island Network for Change organized the Mineola rally, said Halle Brenner-Perles, 55, of East Northport, a co-founder of Show Up Long Island.

Rachel Klein, the founder of EngageLI, said Saturday's gatherings were "very much a 'save our democracy' event."

There was an undercurrent of frustration over the ongoing government shutdown on the eve of the Nov. 4 election. Speakers and protesters voiced opposition to the administration's handling of health care disputes at the center of the partisan impasse.

Jeff Gallo, 62, of Long Beach, a U.S. Air Force veteran, said he's concerned over the future of Social Security and that Democrats should stand their ground on health care subsidies.

"I have health care because I'm a civil servant, so I'm really fortunate," Gallo said. "Everybody else should have the same thing."

Many protesters wore yellow bandanas, which organizers encouraged as a unified color for the movement. 

Along Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station, some wore outfits ranged from Revolutionary War-era attire to alien costumes.

Colette Rodriguez, 72, of Port Jefferson Station, said she was "absolutely stunned" at the turnout.

"We come to all of the rallies and we've never seen this," she said.

Her husband, James, said people are "now seeing the reality" of the Trump administration.

The couple cited issues ranging from the administration's cuts to the federal workforce to the worries that "every time [Trump] has an enemy, he sees them as a public enemy."