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“When spiders unite they can tie down a lion,” a sign by protestor Regan Hayes read. The Ethiopian proverb seemed fitting to the Syracuse resident and local activist, who believes that through consistent peaceful resistance, “the tyrant” can be overthrown.

She was one of over 100 attendees at a Friday protest hosted by Indivisible Onondaga County under CNY Solidarity Coalition, highlighting “MAGA’s chaos, cruelty, and destruction,” according to event details.

Friday’s protest was part of a series of weekly “pop-up” rallies hosted at different locations throughout Onondaga County on Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. The series started after Memorial Weekend and will continue until December, engaging in First Amendment rights, the event description said.

Attendees stood at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Westcott, chanting, “Hey-hey, ho-ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” while others played drums in the background. Protesters held signs condemning United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, attacks on free speech and President Donald Trump’s overall administration.

Rally attendee Donna Fatcer held a sign reading, “No human is illegal.” Fatcer said she’s always been against ICE raids, but said the issue hits close to home after someone she knew was involved in a recent immigration raid at a Nutrition Bar Confectioners factory in Cato, New York.

Fatcer spoke on the importance of civic engagement, using free speech to improve society by staying informed on current issues and having open conversations with other community members.

“I just hope that we can change one mind at a time,” Fatcer said. “Children’s futures depend on it.”

Many protesters brought up censorship after ABC suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live” because of Kimmel’s comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing. One attendee, Cathy Wool, held a sign saying “I stand with NPR, PBS, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel.”

Wool said the Trump administration mimics “past authoritarian regimes” that began by first targeting comedians, saying they are “speaking truth to power. ”

By silencing them, it becomes “easier to silence everybody else,” she said.

“We’re gonna get to a point where you aren’t allowed to speak, they’re gonna tell you what to say,” Wool said.

First-time protestor Cori Perdue said the welcoming environment of the Syracuse community makes people feel braver about coming out and speaking up.

Perdue spoke about historical activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Susan B. Anthony, people “who fought for us,” he said. He said today’s current political climate reminds him of these past activists who fought for collective rights, saying it’s “our time” now.

Dave, a protestor and Syracuse Veterans for Peace member who requested not to use his last name, said he felt compelled to join the protest after hearing about Trump’s suggestion to send American troops back into Afghanistan. He called the idea “scary,” especially for young people.

Dave said he attended on behalf of his fellow veterans, family and the transgender military community after the recent ban on transgender troops serving.

“I’m here for my children, my grandchildren,” he said. “We need to do something positive. War and violence is not the answer.”

Mary Wilson, another protester, said she’s “disgusted” and saddened with the Trump administration. One of the several signs she held read “I love my country, I am ashamed of what it’s done.”

Wilson said the protest was uplifting and allowed her to help her “neighbors of the world,” calling out the administration’s “lack of humanity” and “heartless” actions.

Her other signs quoted the Bible and Pope Francis, reading “make room for immigrants and refugees” and “no room for hatred or exclusion.”

“If the Christians want to go by the gospel, they should read it better,” Wilson said

The protesters shared American flags and engaged in political conversations for over two hours, cheering at cars that honked in solidarity. Many attendees, like Perdue, said they definitely see themselves joining another rally.

“I would say to young people, to students, to continue to stay educated, to do your research, do fact checking, and really understand that we are in a phase right now where it’s not about Republican or Democrat, it’s not about good versus evil, it’s about right versus wrong,” Perdue said.

IOC/CNY Solidarity will host the next free speech protest on Sept. 26.

Published on September 20, 2025 at 7:01 pm