By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — There were two demonstrations at Lincoln Park last Tuesday and one counter demonstrator stood across the street waving an American flag at both of them.
The first demonstration was at noon — a group of more than 50 protestors waving signs against President Trump’s dismantling of government and Rep. Nick Langworthy’s support of those efforts.
The group began demonstrating three weeks ago in front of Langworthy’s Olean office in Blue Bird Square with about a dozen protestors. They said that Elon Musk had no business cutting federal programs and employees and proposed cuts to programs like Medicaid, Social Security and Medicare would hurt millions of people.
Dave Neeley of Olean, a retired Dresser-Rand employee, stood with the flag at the corner of North Union and East State Street in front of the Olean Municipal Building during the noontime protest in the park. He spoke with passersby.
At 4 o’clock, about a dozen members of the Cattaraugus-Allegany Liberation Collective set up in Lincoln Park’s southwest corner along South Union and East State streets. Their message was to call attention to Israel’s renewed bombing in Gaza despite a cease fire between the Israelis and Hamas.
“This is part of a national demonstration today,” one of the marshals at the demonstration said. “We felt it was imperative to be out with Israel breaking the cease fire,” she added.
They carried signs that included Free Palestine and Netanyahu is Guilty, and chanted slogans like “No more money for Israeli crime” and “We want justice, you say how” Stop bombing Gaza now.”
Israel has killed thousands of Hama fighters and Palestinian civilians since it invaded Gaza in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 killing of more than 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping of more than 250 individuals.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, Neeley said those expressing that much dislike for this country could always leave. “My father was a World War II vet,” he said. “People don’t appreciate the flag.”
Neeley said he didn’t agree with either group of demonstrators. He is troubled by the mass immigration this country has experienced. He’s also concerned about the federal deficit. “If they don’t get the deficit under control, it’s all going to go downhill, including Social Security.”
Neeley complained that the Cattaraugus-Allegany Liberation Collective was using bullhorns. “They just want something to protest.” He called them “alphabet soup people” and “pro-immigrants.”
Back on the other side of the street, the woman serving as a marshal said he was their heckler. On their side of the street flew a Palestinian flag and a tie-dyed flag with a large white peace symbol.
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All Rights Reserved. Star News LLC. Eric M. Firkel.
