200 Rally at New London People’s March to Defend Democracy

 

NEW LONDON, CONN. A People’s March in downtown New London, Saturday January 18, drew over 200 participants supporting immigrants, reproductive rights, the LGBTQ+ community, people of color and workers as part of defending democratic rights.

Rally participants reflected the area’s diversity in gender, race, ethnic background and age. Workers, students and retired came together to oppose the Trump Administrations threats to U.S. democracy and support specific groups targeted by the extreme right-wing.

The local march, one of hundreds across the country, was organized by a coalition of groups including the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Congregationalist Church of New London, local progressive groups and immigrants rights, women’s and LGBTQ+ groups.

The Call to Action included: “We all march for different reasons. But we march for the same cause: to defend our rights and our future The People’s March is about one thing: our power. It’s a bold demonstration of the resilience of resistance: We march to unite the people who’ve been the resistance for generations-and to welcome even more”\

Speakers included state and local elected officials and representatives of local organizations. Rev. Carolyn Patierno, pastor of All Souls called on participants to meet new people and get them involved in the resistance.

Mayor Michael Passero of New London urged those at the rally not to get discouraged, but to work together to protect those targeted by Trump, specifically ”the undocumented, the people without papers, with us for years and decades, they are a part of us…”.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz confirmed that Connecticut state agencies will enforce State laws that protect women’s protective rights, immigrant, and workers rights. She indicated that reduced federal funding for health, education and social services are a real possibility under the Trump Administration and Republican led Congress.

Attorney General William Tong committed the Connecticut Attorney General’s office to defending those under attack by the Trump Administration, and rights protected under Connecticut laws.

Speakers from local and regional organizations included Liz Gustafson, director of the Connecticut chapter of Reproductive Equity Now; Angela Florez Penilla, a paralegal with Immigration Advocacy and Support Center in New London, and Kris Wraight of OutCT LGBTQ+.who addressed dangers to the trans community and identified capitalism and the military industrial complex as the forces behind the corporate right wing agemda.

This People’s March/rally shows that the resistance in Eastern Connecticut and the Connecticut shoreline is ready to build support for democratic rights in the White House, U.S. Congress as well as in Connecticut.