50501 protest draws hundreds outside Garbarino's Patchogue office

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered, and briefly clashed with Trump supporters, outside the Patchogue office of Rep. Andrew Garbarino Saturday afternoon, protesting President Donald Trump's actions and condemning the congressman's support of Republican policies. 

The protest was part of the national 50501 movement — which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one day — that has led to widespread gatherings objecting to Trump's actions and his administration. More than 700 protests were scheduled to take place nationally, including in Bellmore and at a Manhasset Tesla dealership, according to the group, a self-proclaimed "decentralized, people-powered network."

The large gathering led to brief, tense encounters with pro-Trump counterprotesters who drove in a convoy through Patchogue.

Courtney Belanger, 33, of East Patchogue, an organizer of the protest, said the group was outside Garbarino's office to show that residents "are not happy with the Trump administration."

"We want Representative Garbarino to listen to his constituents," Belanger said.

She said Garbarino's co-sponsorship of the SAVE Act, which passed in the House earlier this month and requires proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote for federal elections, was part of the impetus for the protest. Proponents of the act, which failed to pass the Senate last year amid Democratic opposition, said it is aimed at restoring American faith in elections.

Belanger said the act "disproportionately affects minorities" and serves as a barrier to voting, particularly because many do not have ready access to documents like passports and birth certificates, which can be costly to acquire.  A 2023 report by the Brennan Center for Justice and other groups estimated that 21.3 million people do not have proof of their citizenship readily available, Newsday reported.

Garbarino, in a written statement, said there has been "misinformation" surrounding the act that is "causing unnecessary panic." "No U.S. citizen would be disenfranchised by this legislation," he said.

"Voters could register using a REAL ID or Enhanced ID — which will be required to board domestic flights as early as next month — a passport, or other federal identification," Garbarino said.

Those who changed their name can use a marriage certificate or a legal name change document to address discrepancies, he said.

"Since New York already requires ID to register to vote, the process here would remain largely the same," the statement read.

Holding American flags and signs, around 500 protesters cheered to the frequent honks of passing cars at around 1 p.m. until a convoy of vehicles bearing Trump's name and photo paraded down Oak Street, spurring a dispute that led to some protesters holding up signs against the windows of the vehicles.

At one point, one of the drivers exited his vehicle before reentering and continuing down the street. Suffolk Police later cordoned off part of the road to passing vehicles, though the convoy continued to drive on surrounding streets.

"Donald Trump will be president for the next 3½ years, plus," said a driver of one of the vehicles through a speaker. "Nothing you can do about it."

By around 2 p.m. the protesters marched down Oak Street and then down the sidewalks bordering Montauk Highway, chanting to remove Trump from office and holding signs, some that read, "Traitor Trump" and "Democracy Dies in Silence." 

Suffolk Police said no arrests were reported from the protest. 

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. 

Gloria Steiding, 71, of Coram, was wearing a bonnet with index cards holding the names of constitutional rights, like "voting." She said those rights "are under attack."

"It's very difficult when I think of my future and my children's and grandchildren's future," Steiding said.

 A Navy veteran from 1965 to 1969, Donald Quigg, 79, of Shirley, said he felt like the rights of due process were being violated by the Trump administration.

"It's not the American way," Quigg said. 

In Manhattan, protesters rallied against continued deportations of immigrants as they marched from the New York Public Library north towards Central Park past Trump Tower.

Two weeks ago, thousands of protesters gathered at the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola and in Patchogue, Port Jefferson Station and Sag Harbor to protest Trump's policies. 

With AP 

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ