Bangor was one of more than 30 communities in Maine to protest against the Trump administration on Saturday as part of the nationwide “No Kings” movement.
The protests coincide with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday and a Washington, D.C., military parade to celebrate the Army’s 250th anniversary that is set to take place Saturday evening. Demonstrations were planned in all 50 states and multiple other countries.
Hundreds attended the Bangor rally while the Portland crowd had thousands of attendees, according to the Portland Press Herald.
In Bangor, protestors held up signs with pictures of Trump wearing a crown, words speaking out against budget cuts and the numbers “8647,” a message meaning Trump should be removed from office.
Speakers ranging from leaders of local organizations to state Rep. Laurie Osher, D-Orono, took the stage just after noon at the Bangor Waterfront Park to kick off the event.
Adam Toothaker, president of Veterans for Peace Maine, spoke out against Saturday’s military parade and the deployment of Marines to Los Angeles following immigration protests. Toothaker also compared recent missile strikes on Iran to actions leading up to the Iraq Invasion, which took place in 2003 to remove weapons of mass destruction from Iraq despite no such weapons being found.
Toothaker went on to say the power Trump has was built up through past administrations and will continue to build if citizens don’t take a stand.
“[Politicians] just keep building and building and pulling that power closer and closer until we will end up eventually with a king if we do not stop it,” Toothaker said.
Multiple speakers after Toothaker said they wanted funding cuts to stop and for America to stop supporting Israel in the Israel-Hamas war.
Demonstrators said they came to the protest because of how Trump has “dismantled” America’s democracy and shown “indecency and a lack of compassion” for many Americans.
Fewer than five counter protestors stood behind the stage while the event went on.
While some protestors carried signs against Trump or other politicians, Peter Sachs, a 24-year-old Bangor resident, simply carried an American flag. He brought the flag to show that America can still be what it once was as long as people promote rights and freedom for everyone, he said.
“Values of freedom, not what the Republicans peddle, but true freedom is an American value associated with the flag, not associated with my country,” Sachs said. “It’s patriotism that brings me out here to make a better country for myself and for those who come after me.”
Sachs said he hopes the event is the start of a change in the country.
Bunny Falkie and Bethany Kuczmarski, both Bangor residents in their 20s, said they came to the protest to show support for the “injustices” going on across the country. The end goal of the event should be to elect more representative politicians in the future who listen to the people, both Falkie and Kuczmarski said.
Kuczmarski said it was “unfortunate” that the event had to happen, but is “cautiously optimistic” for a future where events like this don’t have to be held.
“I would like to have faith in the American people for picking the right person to go into office next,” Kuczmarski said. “I think we really failed this last election, but there’s potential.”
Protesters marched downtown following the speeches.
