Impeachment supporters gather in Kingston

A large group of people gathered at the intersection of Highway 104 and Miller Bay Road in Kingston to support the impeachment of President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Dec. 17, ahead of a historic House vote on the two articles of impeachment.

Over 600 rallies across the country were held by those in support of impeaching Trump as part of the “Nobody is Above the Law” protest movement. On Wednesday, the House voted to move forward on two articles of impeachment against the president for obstruction of congress and abuse of power.

The group that gathered at the Kingston intersection carried signs with statements such as “Democracy is in Danger” and “Convict 45.” A large sign made its message plain with large orange lettering reading “Impeach and Remove.”

Bobby Salazar even took it all a step further, dressing himself up as a Trump bobblehead in prison garb, while his wife Hallett held a sign that read: “come see me in prison.”

Salazar, who had donned this outfit before at other protests and rallies, said he fears that the United States is losing its democracy and that impeaching Trump is a step in the right direction toward saving it and holding those in power responsible for their actions.

The Kingston crowd was met with little resistance from supporters of the president, many of the commuters passing by honked in apparent approval. Some made their anger known in the form of shouting pro-Trump sentiments and hand gestures, one man took issue with the display of an American flag one protester was carrying. Rather than the traditional stars, the flag had corporate logos.

Robin Hordon, a man who has participated in many protest events over the last 10 years, encouraged the protesters to not engage with those that yell and scream obscenities and to flash the peace sign for every middle finger they receive.

Hordon did not consider the protest a traditional protest, but rather an act of civil information. Noting that this is a way for people who would be hesitant to participate in a full-on protest to do it peacefully and with some anonymity.

The protest was also a multi-generational event, Emily Foster, 18 attended the event with her grandmother. Foster will be voting in her first presidential election in 2020 and said it was important for her to attend the protest.