By Robert Brune
DELAWARE COUNTY — This past Saturday, the nationwide No Kings rallies drew what many are calling the largest single-day turnout of protesters in United States history. Estimates range from seven to eight million participants across major cities and small towns alike. In Delaware County, residents gathered in Delhi and Margaretville, describing scenes of unity, frustration, and civic urgency unlike anything the region has seen in recent memory.
In Margaretville, hundreds joined together in front of the village pavilion, chanting, “No left, no right — we the people must unite.” Similar energy rippled through Delhi, where attendees described the event as both patriotic and deeply personal.
Before moving to upstate New York, this reporter spent more than a decade covering protest movements nationwide, from far-right nationalist rallies to social justice demonstrations, mostly in Washington, D.C. Over that time, one pattern has become clear: Americans are once again taking to the streets in unprecedented numbers, compelled by a growing sense that democracy itself is in question.
Since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision in 2010, the United States has seen a steady escalation of partisan rhetoric and distrust in institutions. Terms like “constitutional crisis”, once reserved for rare, historic moments, now appear frequently in national discourse. For many, the No Kings protests reflect a breaking point, a collective demand for a recommitment to democratic principles.
Voices from the Crowd
Robin Factor of Roxbury attended the Delhi rally, saying, “We all have to come out and save democracy and the Constitution.”
Kathleen Sweeney, also at the Delhi event, described her motivation in stark terms:
“Stop Project 2025 in its tracks,” she said, referring to a controversial conservative policy plan. “It’s been masterminded by Christian nationalist leaders who are dismantling our democracy piece by piece. We’re not terrorists, we are the true core of democracy. They’re terrorizing communities across the country. My daughters live in Chicago, and they’re seeing people disappear. It’s unacceptable.”
Sweeney emphasized that defending democracy, in her view, will require persistence and civic education: “It’s going to take showing up, being muscular in supporting our democracy,” she said. “It goes beyond voting, it’s about educating ourselves and our communities. The system has been eroded for forty years, and it will take that long to repair. Live free or die.”
Margaretville: A Rare Moment of Unity
In Margaretville, local resident Carol O’Beirne reflected on what she described as a once-in-a-generation moment for civic engagement. “This is the largest protest I remember,” she said. “I’m really pleased to see so many people here. It’s important to be able to voice your concern.”
Asked about national leaders labeling protesters “anti-American,” O’Beirne replied, “I love America. I believe in the Constitution. What we must do is focus on running this country as the Constitution outlines, and then we’ll all be happy.”
O’Beirne said she believes much of the unrest stems not from fear but from frustration. “We’ve never faced these kinds of conditions before,” she said. “Our forefathers fought against tyranny, and now we’re seeing echoes of that kind of rhetoric from our own government.”
For O’Beirne and many others, the Catskills’ small-town character where neighbors depend on one another regardless of politics remains a source of hope. “Here, people of both ideologies still work together,” she said. “It’s rural America. You have to help your neighbor, and you get joy from that. These communities grow and prosper because of that. We may be small, but we know each other. That’s why so many people love living here, it’s a very special place.”
A Local Reflection of a National Reckoning
Saturday’s No Kings rallies may have looked different from place to place, from Manhattan to Main Street, but the message in Delaware County was clear: civic participation is alive and well in rural America.
Whether viewed as a protest or a patriotic stand, the movement has drawn together people who believe their government has drifted from its founding promise. And as the chant in Margaretville reminded everyone within earshot: “No left, no right, we the people must unite.”
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