‘No Kings’ protest draws thousands outside Garbarino’s office

Over 2,000 demonstrators lined the streets outside of congressman Andrew Garbarino’s  office in Patchogue during a “No Kings” protest on June 14.

The protest occurred hours before a military parade was set to take place in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, which also took place on President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.

Despite the at times downpouring rain, the demonstrators stood outside Garbarino’s office for hours, with many saying that what they perceived as threats to democracy drew them out to protest.

One protester held a sign reading “Wake up Andrew,” referring to Garbarino missing the vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which House of Representatives speaker Mike Johnson said Garbarino had slept through.

Garbarino said in a statement that he “was moments away from the House floor” to vote “yes” on the bill. Gerri Guinessey from Sayville, who held the “Wake up Andrew” sign, said she’s written to the Congressman before on issues like funding for NPR and PBS, and Trump’s pardons of those charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S. Capitol.

On June 12, Garbarino voted in favor of the Recessions Act, which rescinds over $9.4 billion in funds provided to the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which includes funding for public  broadcasting stations, and other agencies.

Protesters holding signs and taking jabs at the congressman said they received responses from Garbarino’s office explaining why the congressman voted the way he did on legislation they had raised issues with. Still, they said they were not satisfied with Garbarino’s response.In a statement to the Long Island Advance and Suffolk County News about the protest outside his office, Garbarino said he hoped that those outside his office wouldn’t block the streets.“Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but I hope those participating will do so responsibly by remaining on sidewalks and not blocking streets or businesses, as we’ve unfortunately seen in past demonstrations,” Garbarino said. Garbarino also said his office remains transparent with the public and has helped resolve thousands of constituent cases over the past four years.“The reality is, we can’t make everyone happy, but my team and I remain committed to transparency and telling the truth,” Garbarino said.

Amid the near-constant car-honking, many demonstrators held signs that read, “Rejecting kings since 1776,” or “Save our civil rights! No Kings,” and “Stop the Insanity,” while also chanting against the Trump administration. For Barbara Coley, a demonstrator and retired professor of English at Suffolk County Community College, federal funding cuts for scientific research and changes to Medicare have been her most significant concerns. Coley said her sons have told her about their friends who work as researchers and have suddenly lost their jobs due to funding cuts, and she worries about what might happen to others.

“People have lost jobs without any notification, a note that says, ‘Your services are no longer necessary,’” Coley said. “My husband has cancer; he’s been treated for it, and to think about cutting funding for those kinds of projects that will keep people alive is obscene.”

Organizer of the Patchogue “No Kings” protest, Ashley Hunt-Martorano, said the turnout gives her hope as she and other organizers consider possibly launching more demonstrations over the summer in or around Patchogue.“I have hope today, because these people are out here, they’re getting soggy socks, they’re getting wet, their signs are covered in garbage bags, and they are still here,” Hunt-Martorano said.