Mount Kisco’s ‘No Kings’ Anti-Trump Protest Blends Patriotic Pride with Carnival Spirit, Calls to Vote Out Lawler

By Spenser Walsh

Despite gloomy skies and serious political themes, thousands gathered Saturday at Mount Kisco Train Station for the “No Kings” protest — a passionate, festival-style event where organizers created a carnival-like atmosphere to mirror what they called the circus of the Trump administration’s government.

Organizers estimated that around 2,000 people gathered at Kirby Plaza to hear speeches, enjoy live music, and register for further action with Indivisible Westchester, a local grassroots group advocating progressive causes.

The crowd of mostly families and older voters was treated to balloon making, face painting, a version of the classic carnival ring toss game called “Topple the Tyrant,” and a rousing rendition of “America the Beautiful,” which many protestors joined.

Attendees, mostly families and older voters, were treated to balloon making, face painting, a version of the classic carnival ring toss game called “Topple the Tyrant,” and a rousing rendition of “America the Beautiful” which many protestors joined.

Among the speakers was State Sen. Pete Harckham, who urged the crowd to remember their own political power and immigrants’ role in the development of America. 

“That’s what separates us from them, is our commitment to love,” Harckham told the crowd. “We are a nation of immigrants, immigrants built this country and continue to build this country, [creating] great multicultural communities like Mount Kisco.” 

Harckham then asked the crowd how many were descended from immigrants, to which one man shouted out, “all of us!” 

America the Beautiful 

The event was also decidedly patriotic. 

Many attendees held signs referencing our founding fathers’ rejection of kings in 1776. Speakers, including Harckham, highlighted America’s history as an inclusive land of opportunity, and chants of “USA, USA!” could be heard throughout the crowd at various points in the proceedings.

Harckham also took time to highlight Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman, the two Minnesota state lawmakers who were shot on Saturday — Hortman fatally — in what Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described as a “politically motivated assassination.” News of the attack outraged and shocked the crowd.

“That could have been me, it could have been Erika,” Harckham reminded the crowd, referring to Westchester Legislator Erika Pierce, who was also in attendance. 

For her part, Pierce praised the crowd’s enthusiasm and underscored the gravity of the moment for Democrats.

“If you’re an unpaid protestor, raise your hands high!” she shouted, to cheers and laughter. “In keeping with our circus theme, let me address the elephant in the room. Nobody here thinks the affairs we are fighting against are a laughing matter… we are in unprecedented times.” 

She listed “cuts to social services, the undermining of public health, assaults on education and migrants” as the biggest threats posed by the Trump administration.

Gilded Age and White Lotus star Carrie Coon was also in attendance, and delivered a brief, impassioned speech reminding attendees that anyone, regardless of race or legal status, can become a target of government overreach.

“Anyone can be characterized as violent by the state no matter what they’ve done, anybody can be characterized by the state as an insurrectionist” she said. “When the immigrants are denied due process, everyone is denied due process.” 

Coon also emphasized the need to stop the growth of the government’s prison and detention systems—what she called the “carceral complex”—and criticized proposed cuts to public health and scientific research.

‘First Step is Flipping Congress’

The protestors’ anger wasn’t limited to the Trump administration. Many also focused on unseating Rep. Mike Lawler, the District 17 Republican representative.

“Once you get people involved locally you can connect them to national stuff,” Indivisible Yorktown co-leader Marcia Stone said. “The important thing is to get people active in calling out Lawler on all the horrible things he’s doing.”

Lawler’s district is one of only three nationwide that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 while electing a Republican to Congress — a point multiple speakers highlighted. Chants of “MAGA Mike has got to go!” rang out as attendees criticized Lawler for what they described as his too-close alignment with Trump’s agenda and being out of step with his district.

Lawler was reelected in November 2024, earning a second term, defeating Democratic challenger Mondaire Jones.

“We want Mike Lawler to understand that he represents this entire community,” co-lead organizer Alan Levy told The Examiner. “Mike Lawler typically talks like a moderate and votes like a MAGA. Eighty-six percent of the time he votes for the MAGA policies and that’s not what this district represents.” 

Attendees at the protest expressed frustration with Lawler’s record, accusing him of breaking campaign promises and supporting policies they see as harmful to the community.

“I think Mike Lawler has lied to his constituents,” said protestor Pat Puleo, a public school teacher. “He said he wouldn’t cut Medicaid, he voted to cut Medicaid. He voted to take $5 billion away from public schools and give them to charter schools. I also think he would support an abortion ban in New York State.”

Briarcliff Deputy Mayor Peter Chatzky, part of a growing field of Democratic challengers to Lawler, was at the protests introducing himself to voters.

“Our federal government is a complete mess. Trump and his minions are putting in policies that are purposefully divisive,” Chatzky told The Examiner. “People like Mike Lawler are just blindly following the Republican agenda. The first step is flipping Congress, bringing back checks and balances, and making sure our constitutional rights are protected.”

Chatzky cited what he saw as Lawler’s inefficiency and partisanship in Congress as key motivations for his run. 

“Government is filled with people who waste time, don’t listen to their constituents and don’t prioritize,” Chatzky remarked. “Mike Lawler was a cosponsor of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America— not the most pressing issue in this day and age.” 

He said proposed cuts to Medicare are a concern he’d much rather see lawmakers focus on.

As the event wrapped up, many attendees lingered, talking to friends or family. Some stopped by Stone’s table where she said she “gave out information on how to connect people with local activist groups.” 

For his part, Levy confirmed that he judged the event was a success, but there was much more work to do.

“We are thrilled beyond thrilled, but the real barometer of how it went is, are people activated?” Levy explained. “I’m 67 years old. I have the time, but we need more people in this movement, to grow it, and to push back against the fascism happening at the top of our government.”