'This Is What Democracy Looks Like': Hundreds Turn Out For 'No Kings' Protest In Riverhead

RIVERHEAD, NY — Carrying signs that read "Democracy Dies in Silence," "Dump Trump," "No Kings," "Freedom, Not Fascism," among others, a peaceful but impassioned crowd estimated at 1,000 or more gathered in downtown Riverhead to join thousands of others protesting nationwide against authoritarianism they believe is festering in the United States under President Donald Trump.

“No Kings” rallies were organized nationwide to coincide with a military parade commemorating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary that falls on Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. June 14 is also Flag Day.
“No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance,” according to organizers. “From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like.”

The "No Kings Day of Defiance" in Riverhead, organizers said, was meant to give residents a chance to speak out; they "voiced their vehement opposition to autocratic rule by the Trump administration."

The event was organized by the Riverhead Town Democratic Committee, the Southampton Town Democratic Committee, and a coalition of pro-democracy partner organizations.

The Riverhead rally was part of a nationwide No Kings Day of Defiance on which millions of
citizens peacefully participated in more than 2,100 marches, rallies, and mobilizations across the
country "in support of democracy, the rule of law, due process, freedom of speech, and an independent judiciary — all in opposition to a presidential power grab unprecedented in our history. The events took place during Donald Trump’s $45 million taxpayer funded military parade," organizers said.

The signs held high by protesters demanded respect for the U.S. Constitution, the rule
of law and individual freedoms, and voiced anger about cuts to Medicaid and the Veterans
Administration, illegal deportations without due process, the corrupt monetizing of the presidency,
and the failure of Congress to do its job "to stop Donald Trump from accumulating all powers --
legislative, executive, and judiciary — in his hands," organizers said.

Speakers at the Riverhead rally included NY Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, U.S.
Congressional Representative Dan Goldman, historian, author and former CNN anchor John Avlon,
NY State Assemblyman Steve Stern, NY State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni, former DOJ
prosecutor and former NY State Special Assistant Attorney General Dave Calone, Pastor Tisha
Williams of the First Baptist Church of Bridgehampton, Southold Councilman and Democratic
candidate for Suffolk County Legislature Greg Doroski, first-generation Mexican American college
student Jon Lopez, and Shinnecock Nation member Denise Silva-Dennis.

Speaking in Riverhead, Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado said: "We’re here because democracy is under attack — not just in Washington, but also in communities like ours. When immigrant families are targeted by armed raids and fear becomes a tool of governance, that’s not law and order — that’s control through cruelty. We say no to tyranny, no to fear, and no to any leader who thinks they can rule like a king."

Goldman said the United States is a democracy belonging to its citizens — not a monarchy ruled by a king: "America is a democracy, not a monarchy, no matter how much the current occupant of the White House wishes otherwise. Donald Trump is methodically and steadfastly working to undermine the rule of law, dismantle our democracy, terrorize immigrants, eliminate all forms of accountability, and abuse the power of the presidency for his political and personal gain. This weekend, Americans across the country are standing up to say enough is enough, and to remind the country that our government belongs to the people, not to a man who would be king."

Avlon described what he called an "assault on our democracy, the rule of law and the Constitution" and said: "The United States has rejected kings since our founding. We are citizens not subjects. But this president keeps assaulting the U.S. Constitution, dividing our nation and destroying our reputation as a beacon of freedom and democracy. We are proud patriots and we will not let the American experiment die on our watch. We will defend freedom, democracy and the rule of law."

Doroski said he felt compelled to speak, "not out of politics, but out of principle — about a troubling pattern of reckless federal enforcement actions that are putting our communities, our law
enforcement officers, and our very democracy at risk."

Doroski described an event in Riverhead this week where residents thought ICE agents were gathering downtown; they were, in fact, federal marshals seeking an arrest. But at first, no one knew what was happening, he said. "Instead of coordination, we had confusion. Instead of transparency, we had agents in face masks and tactical gear, reportedly refusing to provide identification or a judicial warrant. This is not public safety," he said. "Later, it was confirmed the agents weren’t ICE — but it took hours for Riverhead officials to determine who they were. Imagine the danger: civilians facing masked, heavily armed men, not knowing if they’re real law enforcement or criminals impersonating officers. And imagine local police responding to the scene with no idea of what they’re walking into. This is not a hypothetical. It’s a recipe for disaster."

He added: "This is not public safety. This is a breakdown of trust and a threat to every badge that’s worn with honor."

On Monday, the Southold Police Department, which Doroski said he helps oversee, reached out to ICE for clarity on tactics and procedures, he said. "And as of yesterday afternoon, we received no response. None. Zero. When local law enforcement seeks guidance in good faith and gets silence in return that’s negligence. This is not public safety. This is a reckless disregard for the rule of law and the officers who uphold it."

Doroski said he supports the removal of violent criminals. "But that must never come at the expense of due process, public trust, and basic human rights. Federal actions like the ones we are seeing around the country inflame tensions, erode public confidence, and place our own officers in impossible situations. They’re unfair to the good agents at ICE and to the military and national guard who are being put in the middle of this mess by the Trump administration and its enablers. These tactics don’t honor their service—they exploit it. All for what? For power! This is not public safety. This is a power grab."

The East End Democratic Committees said they intend to continue organizing peaceful protests to "reject authoritarianism and show the world what democracy looks like: people, united, refusing to be ruled by a monarch. No one has the luxury of sitting out politics anymore. As part of a nationwide movement, local citizens must show this president that defying federal court orders, attacking our civil rights, disappearing people oƯ the streets, slashing essential services, and handing billions to his cronies is unacceptable in America. Enough is enough."

Terry Lucas of Southold, who attended the rally said she is "worried about what’s going on in our county right now. I wanted to join all these people to voice that concern."

Stern expressed concern for veterans. "Where are our federal representatives?" he said. "They're painfully silent when it comes to the devastating cuts to our veterans — those cuts are a betrayal."

Laura Jens-Smith, chair of the Riverhead Democratic Committee, said: "We stand united in speaking out, in saying 'no' to Donald Trump. This is just the beginning. We look forward to flipping the House in November and restoring democracy. We are the people and we have the ultimate power — to vote."

Lopez, 26 spoke from the heart about growing up in Southampton, a "proud, first-generation Mexican American."

He attends Georgetown University in Washington, DC and is a member of the Southampton Town Democratic Committee. "I am a son of this community right here," he said. "I'm here today to say one thing clearly: Some of us were born a world away. Some of us crossed borders and risked our lives to make it here. Others were born here. We all belong here."

Lopez said he had no mentors in his parents and grandparents to navigate American institutions. "I walked into higher education, civic life, government systems alone, carrying the weight of my family's dream without a map or safety net. Just faith, just grit, just long nights and the pressure to succeed in rooms where no one looked like me."

He added: "The Hamptons are made up of more than what you see on magazine covers. We are more than luxury and leisure, we are the workers rising before the sun, the construction crews building million-dollar homes they'll never sleep in. We're the bilingual caregivers, the landscapers, the line cooks and bussers, the cleaners of mansions. We're the first to show up and the last to leave. We're the trade parade on County Road 39. We are not the background — we are the backbone."

The crowd cheered.

"Let me be clear on one thing — we're not going anywhere," he said. Both his grandfathers arrived on the East End in the 1970s to hoe the once-potato fields, mow the lawns, clean the homes. "Not just for work, but for a dream — the American dream," he said. "That one day their children could stand where I stand today. And still, even in 2025, our communities are treated as invisible, disposable, replaceable. That ends now."

The nation's democracy, he said, "is living in a dangerous moment. A moment when a president campaigns not to lead but to rule. Where universities are threatened for fostering critical thought and innovation."

He added: "Undocumented immigrants deserve due process. It's a constitutional right. . . And no one, not even a president, gets to rule like a king. California Governor Gavin Newsom was right: Donald Tump is not leading. These are the acts of a dictator. And we reject kings here."
Still, Lopez said he refused to inherit bitterness; he chooses love. To any young person or immigrant child who wonders if they belong here, he said: "You do. You are not alone."

Schiavoni said when the nation was formed, "We threw off kings. We rejected nobility then and we will do it now. Let's face it — we are talking about tyranny and authoritarianism. It's time for us to stand firm and say, 'We will not accept tyranny from this federal executive.' This is what democracy looks like," he said, commending the large crowd for attending.

Silva-Dennis said if she took off her Native American regalia, she might be stopped by ICE agents asking for her D. "Children are coming home now and their parents aren't there," she said. "This is wong. This isn't just racist, it's crime against humanity." She said Trump himself is a child of immigrants and married to an immigrant. "They hypocrisy is awful," she said.