LIMA, Ohio – Members of the Allen County Democratic Party gathered in front of the Allen County Courthouse on Friday evening as part of the 50-50-1 Movement’s national “Defend the Constitution” protest.
According to Allen County Democratic Party Chair Rochelle Twining, the protest is intended to honor veterans and the United States Constitution for which they fought. Twining stated that the protest, which coincided with the 81st anniversary of D-Day, aimed to emphasize the importance of upholding the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.
“Under the current regime, we are losing our constitutional rights. ICE and President Trump’s appalling deportation policies violate the right to due process on a daily basis. Women have lost their reproductive rights under this regime, which were previously protected by our constitution. And so, we want our constitution to represent the freedom for which people have fought and died,” says Rochelle Twining, Chairwoman of the Allen County Democratic Party.
At Friday’s protest, we spoke with a couple of veterans about the changes they wanted to see.
“I would like to see a slight increase in the services provided to veterinarians. We need to improve those. These people have earned it, so they should make them better off and provide better care,” says Nancy Goens, a local veteran who is protesting.
“I would like to see things return to normal, really. It appears that we have a fascist government. We are out here fighting against that, trying to restore due process. “Due process is being violated, and we will not stand for it,” says Gregory Gaddy, a local veteran who is protesting.
The event was one of many held across the country, with 50 protests taking place in all 50 states as part of a single unified movement.
