Protesters rally as President Trump visits Syracuse

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President Donald Trump made a stop in Syracuse to rally in support of gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman.

Critics, however, held an event of their own.

Thousands filled Syracuse’s Clinton Square Friday evening, just blocks from where President Trump was set to make remarks. Their message for the president: Not in our house, Central New York resists.

“What Donald J. Trump stands for is not what we stand for, it’s not what real citizens of Syracuse and Central New York stand for,” said Judy Jerome, an organizer with the CNY Solidarity Coalition and Indivisible Onondaga County.

Protesters wanted to express their concern over the president and his administration’s policies.

“The president is not a friend of the environment, definitely not a friend in good immigration,” Jerome said.

David Clark is a proud veteran of the United States Army, but he says he would never serve under the current commander in chief.

“I would never ever volunteer to go into any military action with Trump as president and fight for corruption," Clark said. "I just wouldn’t do it."

And Dustin Eads with CNY Pride says the president’s policies have been impacting his community.

“Individuals within my community are passing away or they’re being attacked, they’re being mistreated and their rights are getting taken away on a daily occurrence,” Eads said.

Jerome, who helped organize the protest, says having so many come together to make their disapproval and disappointment known is an important part of their resistance.

“That means everything,” Jerome said. “I mean that means that we come together, that we are all part of resisting the corruption of this particular administration.”

After rallying at Clinton Square, protesters marched to the Oncenter. 

Jerome says it doesn’t stop with the protest; organizers are also encouraging protesters to make their voice heard in a way that counts: to get out and vote.