Hundreds Rally in Monticello As Part of Nationwide Hands Off! Protest Against Trump

Undeterred by rain, more than 200 people gathered outside the Sullivan County Courthouse on April 5 in Monticello as part of the national Hands Off! protests against President Donald Trump and his administration.

The Monticello rally was one of more than 1,200 demonstrations held across all 50 states. Similar actions took place in Middletown, Newburgh, Kingston, Milford, Honesdale, and dozens of other towns across New York and Pennsylvania.

“It’s important, especially in upstate communities, that people who are not okay with the direction of our government are able to show our anger and our willingness to fight and just to find each other and know that we’re in community together in this situation,” said one Cochecton resident.

Protesters chanted and spoke about how Trump’s policies will hurt local hospitals, schools, farms, and libraries.

Danielle Barbour, an Orange County resident, said that she traveled to Monticello because the LGBTQIA+ community is under attack.

“I am a mother. I am a teacher. I’m a small business owner. I am bigender, and I am a lesbian,” said Barbour, who announced she was running for office in Warwick. “It’s important that not only do we stand up – no matter how small the office is, it is important that every single one of us do our part.”

Since President Trump took office in January, he has signed several executive orders rolling back protections for transgender people and gutted nearly $40 million in federal funding for queer and transgender health initiatives. One terminated grant was to better understand alcohol use and bullying facing LGBTQ youth in New York.

Trump’s proposed layoffs of more than 100,000 federal employees and planned cuts to billions of dollars in federal funding – though some cuts have been temporarily blocked by federal judges – have already affected local residents.

During the Sullivan County legislative committee meeting on April 3, Colleen Monaghan, Executive Director of the Sullivan County Cornell Cooperative Extension, said that $2.3 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture grant funding for their Beginner Farmer Program was still frozen. Cornell Cooperative’s grant of $100,000 from New York State’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports to conduct community outreach for substance abuse prevention was also abruptly cancelled on March 27.

Sullivan County District 5 Legislator Cat Scott said the long-term effects of potential cuts to safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP would devastate Sullivan County, where more than one in three residents have Medicaid.

“When people lose their jobs, they stop servicing their car at local garages. They stop going to hair salons. They stop using services and businesses,” said Scott. “I’m very concerned for the vulnerable people who will be impacted by this, but people need to understand there are ripples that will impact our community for quite some time.”

About thirty miles from the Monticello Courthouse, across the Delaware River, another Hands Off! rally was held at the Pike County Courthouse in Milford, Pennsylvania. Ed Gragert, founder of Delaware Valley Action, estimated that around 400 people attended.

Gragert said that speakers shared stories highlighting the impact of Trump’s policies, including one about a legal U.S. resident who had lived and worked in Pike County for 20 years before being deported by immigration authorities. Her 16-year-old son, a U.S. citizen, remains in Pennsylvania.

Artists sang songs with themes of resistance and offered encouragement for what lies ahead. In her closing speech, Legislator Scott urged the crowd to connect with others across political differences.

“It’s about building bridges we’ll need when the tide finally turns. If united we stand and divided we fall, then healed is the only path forward for America,” said Scott.

“Keep showing up, keep speaking out, and above all, let’s all get into some good trouble.”

 

Photo Credit: Kimberly Izar, Radio Catskill