Doing their part for democracy, 300 people come together in protest

Although there were signs admonishing Donald Trump and Elon Musk, Corfu resident Matt Steinberg didn't see it as being political and instead focused on what he believed was the bigger picture in downtown Batavia this weekend.

Steinberg chose to speak up for libraries, which he displayed on his sign while standing along Main Street.

“Well, because there's no reason to cut these. I mean, education is how we sort of advance as a country. People need to have an education and know what has happened in history, good and bad. And you learn that partially at libraries. And fascists, that's how they start. They try to have an uneducated citizenry, and that's got to be the reason that libraries are a target,” he said, as one of at least 300 people in the Hands Off! protest Saturday outside of City Hall. “I do feel that our local libraries will be affected. The small libraries depend more heavily on government support, even the big ones, like in Buffalo, Erie County, that also depends heavily on government support, because it essentially is a free function. And there are certain things in the world that should exist that don't need to generate a profit, and libraries are one of them.”

He said it was well worth his time to attend the event and protest for two hours alongside hundreds of others with various other causes. For the most part, the event was a peaceful demonstration of free speech in action, including a few motorists who apparently opposed the action by displaying Trump flags and expelling diesel exhaust close to protesters.

“It’s easier to give a finger or accelerate your truck than to engage. We’re trying to reverse what’s happening,” Steinberg said. “I’m here because I don't like the direction that the current administration is piloting the country, and I don't feel like I don't want to just take it lying down. ”

Individuals, couples, friends, and whole families came out to participate. Jen Reardon of Batavia gathered with seven relatives — including some first-time protesters that drove from Hamburg and Alden, and their grandmother — all wearing neon-colored matching “Resist” T-shirts.

This event wasn’t about getting together for a one-time cause but about concerns and conversations they’ve been having daily, Reardon said.

“We’re worried about our country absolutely crumbling and falling apart. And anything that we can do -- we need to resist and fight it,” she said. “And try to keep things funded that are important to people, and social security, Medicaid, Medicare. How are people going to live without that and all of the other things they talk about, SNAP benefits being cut, museums and libraries being cut? Head Start being cut. They’re programs that help a lot o families all over the country, and with the money gone, what is going to happen to people?”

There seems to be a fair amount of people online saying that this isn’t necessary and asking why people are protesting. How do you respond to that?
“I’d say stop watching Fox News and start to watch almost any other place you an get news from; not Newsmax and not Fox News, and learn the real story of what is happening, because those media outlets are are friendly to Trump are not telling the Americans the truth of what’s happening,” she said.

Are you doing any other events like this?
“Well, we found out that there’s something going on on April 15 at the town hall (at Arc Community Center), so we plan to attend that as well. And then as things come up, this was kind of our first jump into it,” she said. “But we’re really to do what we need to do to keep the lifestyle that we love here, and the freedoms that we have here that other people across the world do not have.”

The family members each carried a sign with a different cause — the forests, LGTBQ rights, recovery funds, social security, the library and art.

Taylor Peck of Batavia works in the substance addiction field and is concerned about funding for rehab and recovery and issues more personal to her. Participating in this protest “definitely” accomplished something, Peck said.

“So we're getting our voices heard, our message across. It's a scary time to be a gay woman in America. And I mean, I just want to take a stand. I work for UConnectCare here in Batavia, and I care a lot about the clients that I work with who are in recovery. So that's why my sign says recovery funds.”

Admitting that her group was “fired up,” Reardon jumped back in to add that she's concerned about cuts to education, libraries, and museums. It is “trying to make us dumb,” she said.

“Things where you can go and learn about history, and women’s rights and gay rights and the veterans,” she said. “It’s a whole lot of things that mean a lot to all kinds of people.”

Both sides of Main Street were lined with people and chants of “hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” as motorists drove by honking their horns. There was a bright green umbrella with the word Truth written across the top and messages for “Congress, get DOGE” and “Congress, put your hands back on the wheel.”

A protester wearing the classic “Hand Maid’s Tale” garb of a floor-length ruby red dress and symbolic oppressive white head piece, known as wings, walked up and down the sidewalk with a megaphone, leading a chant of “this is what democracy looks like.”

Holding a sign with democracy written on it, Amy Fagan is “displeased with the Trump administration,” she said, and appreciated the fact that “a red county” would have people stand up against him in protest.

“Because there’s so many things that I think are being attacked that I figured democracy covers a lot of it, and then the social security in particular, people like me have paid into it our entire lives. And what’s going to happen if it goes away?” the Batavia resident said. “It’s not fair, it’s not right. It’s dangerous for the older people to not have that income coming in, because we’re not millionaires and billionaires.”

And what do you say to those people who think this is premature and this is worry for nothing?
“If you wait for too long, then it’s going to be too late, and if it’s too late, there’s nothing that you’re going to be able to do about it,” she said. “People need to see that there are those of us who disagree and that maybe they don’t want to come out because they’re afraid of what their family might think. Or, just know that there’s a group of us out here that support you.”

Organizer Sarah Wolcott was happy with the turnout and that the protest had minimal negative occurrences.

“I am overwhelmed, but in the best possible way. I always prepared for some pushback. There has been very, very minimal, at best, if even any. There has been some. I'm not gonna say there hasn't been, but mostly it's all been positive and supportive and peaceful, which was the ultimate goal of today,” Wolcott said. “The whole point of choosing Hands Off, specifically, was that it's not just one cause, it's not just one thing being affected, it’s so many things. And I just gave people a place to come together, is really all I did. The rest kind of happened on its own.  I think there will definitely be more.”