With an impeachment vote slated for Wednesday, supporters of removing President Trump turned out Tuesday evening at the longtime Elmwood Avenue and Bidwell Parkway protest site In Buffalo to convey their message to commuters.
A large crowd turned out on a chilly and dark night to chant, to listen to speakers explaining why the president should go and to wave signs at the drivers explaining why they should also support impeachment. Many honked back.
Speakers and participants in the event made their point of view very clear. They attacked the president and supported his removal and ban from any further federal service.
Speakers listed to the crowd the many reasons they want the current occupant of the White House to be a former occupant. For some, this protest was one of many they have participated in at the site. Event organizer Jennifer Page was among those to make a case.
"He hurts communities in our country. There are thousands of children in cages right now who can't get access to flu shots under this administration. No, he should not be in office," Page said. "This administration is hurting our country. We are a laughingstock of the world. He also has pushed back environmental protections. Our world is burning, on fire."
Elizabeth Schmidt carried a sign saying the president is "illegitimate."
"I don't think he should have been here in the first place and I'll tell you why," Schmidt said. "This sign is actually the very first sign I made two years ago. This is not my first protest, but I decided I would go down to the basement and take one of my first signs that I made and be here. And I think that after two years, the fact we're finally at this point, I'm so pleased."
Many of the protesters were women wearing those hats symbolic of the women's protest right after the Trump inauguration, attacking his election. In an ironic attack on the president, the crowd chanted "lock him up," a pushback against a frequent chant at Trump rallies as he attacks his opponents.
Democratic congressional candidate and Grand Island Supervisor Nate McMurray spoke on the site where conservatives attacked him from nearby Colonial Circle last summer.
"If we don't come out like this, his behavior becomes normalized. If we don't stand up and say it's not normal, they'll say it is normal," McMurray said. "Is this normal what we're going through right now? (Crowd: "No.") It's your duty, my duty, everyone's duty to get out and say, 'This ain't normal' or we're going to have a dictatorship."
McMurray said he is being followed around by a man photographing his appearances and keeping track of what he says. The man would not identify himself except to say he works for America Rising. According to its website, the PAC was founded in Spring 2013 "for the sole purpose of exposing the truth about Democrats through video tracking, research and strategic communications. We have uncovered countless instances of Democratic hypocrisy and taken action to hold them accountable."
