About 150 people turned out near the courthouse in Doylestown to protest the Trump administration on a cold and windy Presidents Day.
The Doylestown protest, organized by activist Larissa Hopwood, was part of a national day of protest, including in Philadelphia, through the 50501 organization (“50 States, 50 Protests, 1 Day.”)
It was also called “Not My President’s Day” and “No Kings Day.”
About a dozen Trump supporters staged a counter-protest, most holding American and Trump flags, across the street from the protesters, who chanted vigorously and beat drums.
Drivers passing by honked their horns, and officers in squad cars kept a watchful eye on the competing protest groups.
“No Trump hate speech, America IS great,” “No Project 2025,” “No Trump, No KKK, No fascist U.S.A.” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go!” were a few of the slogans.
Someone on the Trump rally side responded, “Trump won. You’re done.”
JoAnn Maroney
“Our democracy is being systematically taken away by the Trump administration,” said Helen Tai of Solebury. “And a lot of what [President] Trump and [Elon] Muck are doing is illegal.” Asked why she came, Tai said, “I wanted to be with people who felt the same way.”
Doylestown resident Debra Camarota suggested those who oppose Trump join The People’s Union. She was protesting “For women’s rights, for gay rights, for human rights, for people of color and immigrant rights.”
Her “dirt poor” family came to America in 1919, she told DVJournal. “I’m queer and out since 1975.”
Sandra Deaner, also from Doylestown, said she had “a million reasons” to protest.
“I didn’t vote for Trump,” said Deaner. “He’s a felon. He should be in jail.”
Deaner also opposes Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE] audits of the federal government agencies. “Just because he’s a tech giant,” Musk “doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s for the wealthy only. The very rich, and he doesn’t care about anything but his billionaires and billionaire cronies.”
Sharon Walbridge
The programs that DOGE is targeting help “the poor and the middle class,” she said.
Doylestown resident JoAnn Maroney said, “I think it’s amazing how many people are here. It just goes to show how urgent everything is now.”
Among the counter-protesters, James Todd from Plumstead said he came to support Trump.
“I wanted to come out and show my support,” said Todd.
Sharon Walbridge of Warrington was holding American, Israeli and Christian flags.
“I want to show my support for my president, Donald Trump, in honor of Presidents Day,” said Walbridge.
Rich Scott of Buckingham, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam, said he heard people were going to protest “what our president is doing to try to repair our country, and I’m strongly in favor of what he’s doing” The government “has gone unchecked so long, it reaches too much.”
“I was hopeful after the election and a period of sadness by the loyal opposition, we’d be able to move forward.” It was “a pretty fair election,” he added.
Philadelphian Al Holt said he came to support Trump.
As for the demonstrators, he said, “They lost. They should deal with it.” He believes many of those who came to protest were members of Antifa (a left-wing group involved in fomenting the summer 2020 riots) and were being paid to protest.
Holt, who said he was a member of the Proud Boys, said, “We’re not racist,” noting the group has members of every ethnicity and the media portrays it unfairly. “We’re here to protect our country and to “stop old ladies in MAGA hats from getting beat up by Antifa.”
