East Hampton No Kings Protest Brought Massive Crowds Saturday
The messages condemning President Donald Trump and what protestors perceive as his authoritarian leanings were great in number, but so were those proclaiming love for America as some 2,000-plus people came out to be heard at the No Kings Day demonstration in front of East Hampton Town Hall on Saturday, October 18. The event was among some 2,700 protests in small towns and big cities alike around the country, and even the world — including several around the East End — as record numbers, to the tune of 7 million people, came out to speak against Trump and his policies.
In East Hampton, the gathering kicked off with speeches from local Democratic officials and outspoken residents before moving to the street where the day took on a celebratory vibe as cars passed honking in support, people cheered and maintained a peaceful assembly throughout. The closest thing to a clash with police observed was when one woman who chose to picket with her “SOS USA” sign on the south side of Montauk Highway — instead of the north where the bulk of protestors stood behind barricades — was asked by police to move and refused, but the officer relented and allowed her to stay in the spot.
Among those who spoke behind Town Hall were NY State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni, Neopolitical Cowgirls dance theater company founder Kate Mueth, and East Hampton Town Councilwoman Cate Rogers. For his part, Schiavoni pointed out, “It seems odd that we are actually here as a No Kings rally — this is a conversation that has been settled for more than 250 years on this continent,” adding, “We put safeguards in our republic in place to push back against authoritarian rule. It’s called the United States Constitution. I believe in the rule of law, we believe in the rule of law, we are a government of laws in the State of New York and the United States of America.”
Attendees of the protest brandished an array of clever signs with messages ranging from numerous variations of the No Kings theme, to simply the word “EPSTEIN,” referring to the call for Republicans to release the Jeffery Epstein files, to calls for the defense of Democracy and the end of Immigration Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) presence in American cities, with slogans such as “I Like My ICE Crushed” or “Melt ICE.” One sign compared Trump to pests, noting “Know Your Parasites” with labeled pictures of a deer tick, dog tick and, under Trump’s picture: “Luna Tick,” while others called the President “Lord of the Lies” and “King Con,” or compared his administration to past fascist dictatorships. A particularly critical sign read: “It’s beginning to look a lot like 1933.”
Even dogs were seen holding signs, as were people young, old and every age in between.
Turnout was by all accounts stronger than the last No Kings Day protests, which were also well attended, on June 14, 2025, Trump’s birthday. East End protests also drew crowds in Hampton Bays, Riverhead and Wading River on Saturday.
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