By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — Due to the threat of thunderstorms on Thursday, a “Good Trouble Protest” was moved to Saturday at noon at Lincoln Park.
Jessica Davis of Olean, one of the sponsors of the protest, asked those planning to come to bring signs, whistles, water, chairs and follow safety plans to avoid engaging with counter protesters.
The “Good Trouble” aspect of the protest is a reference to the late Rep. John Lewis, the Civil Rights leader and congressman from South Carolina.
Aaron Gies, the St. Bonaventure University assistant theology professor who last week declared his candidacy for Congress to run against Rep. Nick Langworthy, will speak, Davis said.
First, the group will demonstrate along East State Street by Lincoln Park for about 30 minutes starting at noon, Davis said. That will be followed by a mock funeral procession with 27 tombstones representing the programs President Trump has closed or tried to close his first six months in office, she said.
Two musicians, Jessie and Michelle, will then perform a song by Joan Baez, “I Carried the Flame,” followed by a moment of silence. Gies will speak then from the park gazebo. The protesters will then return to the East State Street sidewalk until 2 o’clock to chant and wave signs, Davis said.
“We need huge numbers to keep the pressure on,” Davis said.
In the past several months, a growing number of protesters have demonstrated against Medicaid, Medicare and food assistance cuts to SNAP, along with DOGE’s USAID food aid cuts to the world’s poor, federal employee dismissals and immigration and mass deportation by ICE.
