An estimated 1500 peaceful protesters gathered at the Ossining waterfront to participate in October 18’s No Kings Day of Action, at a rally organized by the Ossining Town Democratic Committee. The event featured speeches by state and local officials and other community leaders along with performances by local musicians and poets, including award-winning composer Osei Essed performing an original song written for the moment. High school student Desmond Chang Curtin fired up the crowd with a deft and powerful electric rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner
. Participants chanted, sang and cheered, holding an array of expressive and witty signs. Many sported costumes and several participated in a costume contest, joined by rally organizer Acacia Mauriello in a unicorn outfit.
Ossining Dems chair Catherine Borgia and District Leader Althema Goodson served as emcees for the event. After the event, Borgia said, “Thank you to all the patriots who came out for Ossining’s No Kings rally on our beautiful Hudson River. It was a day of joy, community, creativity, and hope.”
Speaker after speaker denounced President Donald Trump’s unconstitutional attempts to amass unchecked power and attempts to punish those who oppose him. They criticized moves such as the vindictive prosecution of New York State Attorney General Letitia James, the repeated attempts to strip New York of federal funding, and violent attacks and other violations of constitutional rights by masked ICE officers. Speakers also heaped criticism on Congressman Mike Lawler, who is failing to do his own constitutional duty by enabling the president to behave illegally and harm New Yorkers.
Several local leaders vying for Lawler’s seat were in attendance and spoke, including combat veteran and national security expert Cait Conley, Village of Briarcliff Manor Deputy Mayor Peter Chatzky, and 914Cares founder and chair Jessica Reinmann.
State leaders in attendance included State Assemblymembers Dana Levenberg and Chris Burdick, both of whom emphasized the need to stand up and fight back while discussing their work and commitment to protecting New Yorkers.
Local leaders in attendance included Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, Westchester County Board of Legislators Chair Vedat Gashi, Westchester County Legislator Emiljana Ulaj, Ossining Town Supervisor Elizabeth Feldman and Ossining Village Mayor Rika Levin. They emphasized the impact of federal actions on local budgets and urged the crowd to remain active and engaged at every level.
In a particularly moving speech, Ulaj spoke to her personal experience of fleeing a civil war as a child and coming to the United States as a refugee, praising the promise of America and urging attendees to keep pushing the country to live up to its highest ideals. Of the rally, Ulaj said, “I am proud to be a part of a new wave of Democrats who are fighting back against this administration based on patriotism, our Constitution and our Declaration of Independence. These documents are ours. We are the ones fighting for Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness for everyone, including trans people. We are the ones fighting for the 4th Amendment and Due Process for everyone, including undocumented immigrants. We are the ones demanding that every person in America lives under the same laws, including our President. The No Kings rally in Ossining was a powerful display of patriotism for the values upon which this country was founded. I am deeply grateful for the organizers and all of America’s true patriots who joined us.”
