By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN – More than 300 people demonstrated at Lincoln Park Saturday, part of a national Pro Democracy movement protesting President Trump’s policies.
They brought signs and determination. Traffic passing on East State Street honked and waved in support. Others were less supportive.
“What does democracy look like?” one protestor chanted. “This is what democracy looks like,” came the reply of others lining the park. Some demonstrators took their signs and their chants to the opposite side of the street in front of the Municipal Building.
The demonstration was happening at the same time as hundreds of other protests across the country, part of the 50501 movement that signifies 50 protests, 50 states, one movement.
Coincidently, the protests that took place on Saturday was on the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War.
At the same time, during a rally at the Lincoln Park gazebo, an Olean man stepped forward to say he is forming an exploratory committee to look into running for Congress against Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-Niagara County.
Aaron Gies, a professor of theology and Franciscan studies at St. Bonaventure University, said, “Nick Langworthy is really not listening to his constituents, He’s rubber stamping everything Trump and DOGE are doing.”
Gies said Trump was decimating services, ignoring civil rights and abandoning our allies. “That’s not the kind of representative I want. I expect a lot of Democrats and independents agree.”
Gies was carrying a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag he said signified Trump’s abandoning Ukraine. He said he was embarrassed by Trump’s actions during the Oval Office meeting earlier this year with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Meanwhile, the anti-Trump demonstrations that began with a dozen protesters in mid-March carrying signs outside Langworthy’s Olean district office on North Union Street, continue to grow.
Organizers said the Lincoln Park protest and rally easily surpassed 300 people. Vehicles honking in support drew shouts and sign waving by protesters.
“I’m here for democracy,” said Terri Edel of Olean. “I’m here for Social Security. I’m here for my daughter’s rights to control her own body. I’m here for due process. Nobody is a king.”
Stephanie Spittal of Allegany said, “I think it’s kind of wonderful so many people are here.”
Tom Barber of Belfast said he accepted a friend’s invitation to come to the Olean demonstration “to do my part to see what we can do to change the situation in Washington and all over the country. It starts in Olean.”
One woman, a retired teacher from Allegany and the mother of a special needs child, said she was there to protest the restricted access to Social Security from closed offices and fired employees due to “the recklessness of DOGE.”
She said she was wearing a Montreal Canadians’ jersey as a symbol of the the longstanding friendship between the U.S. and Canada that Trump has threatened with his tariffs. “It’s terrible what’s happening. It has to stop. Now the president is defying a Supreme Court ruling” to return a migrant who was illegally deported to the U.S. for a hearing.
Gerry Zimmerman of Olean, a Lutheran pastor, said, “Jesus came to stand with the marginalized and thye poor. I feel Jesuis is here. I’m happy to be here. These are my people.”
It was the first protest Richard Bossard and his wife, Nancy of Almond attended together. “We’re here for democracy,” Richard said. He’d attended an earlier protest in Corning. “It’s good to see how many people are out supporting democracy.”
There was one counter protester waving a flag in front of the Municipal Building. He exchanged an occasional word with them. Later, some of the protesters walked over and talked with the man.
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All Rights Reserved. Star News LLC. Eric M. Firkel.
