More photos have come in, following our earlier post about today’s “No Kings” rally that drew 1,500 people to Jesup Green. Here are a few:
(Photo/Dayle Brownstein)
(Photo/Dayle Brownstein)
(Photo/Dayle Brownstein)
(Photo/Rowene Weems)
(Photo/Rowene Weems)
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What a farce.
For a town that fights against any form of affordable housing for the under privileged, Westport is full of hypocrites as demonstrated today. Keep up the charade.
I’m sure my ‘friends at KMS Compass’ would agree
March of the self-righteous. Perfect for Westport.
these commenters are missing the point totally.
Good point…
Democrat Art Show‼️
How are you enjoying the increased price of gas because of the Trump War in Iran?
I guess $4.00/gal is all part of Trump’s master of “winning so much you’ll be sick of winning”. lol.
What’s weird about the brainwashed MAGATs like Tom is one of the reasons they voted for Trump was because he was going to keep up out of foreign entanglements, but now that he’s increasing our overseas meddling, they keep goosestepping behind him. This people never state their positions publicly until Trump makes a move.
And what happened to the pro-Netanyahu crowd that was constantly commenting on here? Have they just disappeared or is the war what they wanted and they don’t want to remind their neighbors that they fully support it?
Ladies and Gentlemen- TDS can be interpreted two ways.
From my point of view TDS means there are fellow Americans who are willing forgive Donald J Trump for any and every mean, nasty and wrong decision he makes- including ignoring our congress, attacking our Supreme Court when it decides against him and ignoring 250 years of observing our Constitution.
Along the way TDS sufferers are willing to ignore what DJT said in an unguarded moment about grabbing women by their private parts and then not believing at least 30 women who said he did exactly that to them and a court of law that found him guilty of doing exactly what he said he could do to the tune of 80 million dollars.
TDS sufferers are willing to accept that our elections are somehow rigged inspite of mostly Republican states, Republican Attorney Generals and Republican courts saying they were fair elections that were not rigged.
TDS sufferers cannot see a West wing of the Peoples’ White House torn down, the name “Trump” placed on the Kennedy Arts Center that dedicated in memory of a slain President or a war entered without the consent of Congress.
TDS sufferers cannot relate to or empathize with the tragedy of masked ICE agents on our street (just like in N Korea, Russia or Nazi Germany totalitarian states we criticize) scooping up any immigrant they can get their hands on, shipping them off to prisons inside and outside our country without any form of legal representation- and mistakenly taking American CITIZENS because they look different.
TDS sufferers can overlook and excusein the killing two Americans ( a mom and a nurse) in Minneapolis by ICE turned loose on our streets.
And TDS sufferers can just ignore millions of their fellow Americans marching to protest these injustices and then ridicule the marchers as a waste of time, being self righteous or part of an art show!
AS I see it the character of America is under attack by our President and his TDS sufferers.
Please- TDS sufferers – wake up and realize – the wanna be KING wears no clothes??
Great signs. Millions of Americans marching and protesting what they see happening!
Steve you’re the poster boy for TDS‼️🙀
Hi Tom-
Nice to hear your thoughts. At my age I couldn’t be more pleased to be a poster boy for anything.
But as a retired physician I had to learn a lot of official medical syndromes and TDS is not one of them- it would appear to be a made up, self declared one that is often caste as an aspersion to belittle- act as a conversation ender or gotcha.
I look at TDS from the medical point of view that if it is a syndrome it must include blindness to what the afflicted sees this president doing or has done but it doesn’t register. Also deafness to what this President has said and is saying constantly and repetitively but not actually hearing it. Not perceiving his incredible lack of good taste by destroying the West Wing of our White House, putting gold plate on every conceivable place in the People’s House and plastering his name on the memorial dedicated to our assassinated past president -JFK. Finding it acceptable of DJT’s poor judgement in associating with a pedophile for decades and during that time bragging about his ability to peek at the teenagers in the Miss Teenage Contest in Russia on Howard Stern’s show. The ability to overlook his apparent insensitivity to countless women who have come forward accusing him of molestation or rape and having bragged about it’s okay to grab women by their privates (my word- not DJT’s). And finally TDS includes thinking it’s okay that his narcissistic need to surround himself with sycophants and yes men and women (instead of experts or advisers) is how to lead this country toward sane vaccination and Climate change policies that would protect us and our kids from deadly diseases.
Finally I include in the TDS the incredible ability to swallow, hook line and sinker – his self declared passing of a dementia test that makes DJT a self declared stable genius. I would love to see documentary evidence for his claims- including his NY Military Academy records, his Wharton grades, his tax records and the Epstein files unredacted!
That is my take on TDS.
In the mean time you can ignore why millions of your fellow citizens are marching in the No Kings protest across the country- or you might ask yourself why?.
I have nothing against folks who do these protest exercises. It is part of our democracy. The good thing about this exercise is it was peaceful, and we had no incidents.
Cost to town so far for our police for the many bridge exercises for our fiscal year 2025-2026 will probably be between $50 to 80K in overtime etc.
My two cents….I would love for the organizers to provide some $ or donations to our EMS, Fire and Police Departments for being there for their event.
I would also like to these this massive group take this exercise to Hartford and call out their corrupt Democratic Leadership in Hartford on their “KING” actions on all these “special emergency session” bills they now pass like going through a Starbucks Drive-thru.
NO Debate, bring it up and vote on it and pass it into law…note recent housing bills that will result in our post road being changed forever with development in the next 5 to 10 years.
Again, all cool with these exercises..not cool with hypocrisy of not calling out their own “kings” in our state.
Please my democratic friends, chime in here and tell me where you disagree or agree. As Westporter’s we are in for one crazy development ride with NO LOCAL ZONING control moving forward….
Hi, Jimmy. I did a quick check of donors to Westport EMS, fire, and police and their associated charities and events. I correlated those names with the names and photos of people I saw at the “exercise” and some news and social-media accounts (by no means an exhaustive list).
I think it’s safe to say that Westport residents who availed themselves of the right to free assembly and free speech on Saturday have also donated freely to these town groups—and do so all year every year.
Jimmy, that’s a horrible, anti-democratic, anti-American take. The right to protest in the U.S. is fundamentally protected by the First Amendment, guaranteeing freedom of speech and peaceful assembly in public spaces like streets, sidewalks, and parks. You’re on a very slippery slope, my friend. What’s next for you? Paying for the privilege of voting? Oh, right, that’s pretty much what Trump is demanding with the SAVE Trump Act. You’re circling the MAGA drain. Get a grip, man.
Curious how much the Republicans donated to cover the costs related to the January 6, 2021 seditious attacks on the Capitol?
Guys…your missing my point…What about the “kings in Hartford?” Do you agree with me on what is going on in Hartford by one party?
My point on EMS, Fire, and Police, we can debate, and If I am wrong, so be it. My apologies…I all about everyone’s rights for everything.
Tom and Scott, I always appreciate when we can have dialogue. I will be the first to man up if I offend, or am wrong. I know you both care deeply about our democracy, as do I.
Why can’t the many activists who attended the “No Kings Protest” gather with the same vigor and passion against the “Kings of Hartford?”
Help me understand, and educate myself and others. We are one town at the end of the day, and Hartford, is run by “Kings” of one party.
Thanks J.
It sucks when your party is out of power. It sucks so hard. We can definitely agree on that.
Yes, I get your point about “kings,” not surprisingly.
You should use your sway to nominate sentient, centrist Republicans for the next state election. (No book banners, no science deniers, no ivermectin freaks, no Yankee Institute polemicists. Come on. It’s such a low bar.) I confront Democrats all the time when they screw up. I know the people who answer their phones. I can hear their eyes rolling when they figure out it’s me. Why not do the same with your party officials? Peck at them until they give in. Move them to where you want them to be.
Maybe give reasonable voters some reasonable candidates to vote for? Less McGruff the Crime Dog, more Olivia Benson.
Here’s a completely random thought that just popped into my head (and yes, I may have had a few drinks this afternoon): What’s Jimmy Izzo doing these days?
Hi Tom,
Happy Monday, I hope you had a nice weekend. I don’t care who is in power as long as the needles is 5 yards past the 50 yard line on both sides.
Yes, you do show up and speak up! We agree on things and we disagree on others.
These days up to working a lot and looking forward to nicer weather. Sorry I will miss TEAM this week, as I have a meeting, hold down the fort!
“Whataboutism” is not a point.
Why don’t you man-up and organize a No Hartford Kings protest yourself, and see who shows up, instead of pointing fingers at your neighbors? If it is that important to you, I’m surprised you haven’t done it already.
As always Chris thanks your reply! I have zero power to change Hartford, but local Democrats do. I would be wasting my time- I do speak out to local Dems all the time.
Hope you are well, have an awesome week
Last comment on this thread (do we still have five-comment limits?).
If you don’t have the wherewithal to organize a rally that you are saying that this Town should have, and are calling on people in a party to which you don’t belong to organize it on your behalf, how are you showing leadership? A gadfly is not a leader.
Wouldn’t said rally be something that would bring your important issue to the attention of voters? It could help launch a run for the State Legislature, right? Win-win for you.
Jimmy, if you’re upset with your elected officials in Hartford, then feel free to meet up with like-minded allies in public to make your feelings known. I would suggest Jesup Green or the Bridge as venues, as they would give you the highest visibility. It’s free, safe and Constitutionally protected. I happen to favor sensible transit-oriented development and related measures to address the affordable-housing crisis in Connecticut. The state may be ham-handed about it, which is why I wish Farrell, Marpe, or Tooker had interest in effectively addressing the issue locally over the past 25 years. They didn’t so here we are. You can’t rail against “kings” in Hartford trying to build housing and also dismiss widespread concerns about a wannabe tyrant king in Washington, especially one with access to nuclear codes
Hi Scott,
I hope you are well my friend, and enjoyed a nice weekend. I do meet with “like minded Dems and R’s” on the “Hartford Kings” running our state.
Affordable housing – we keep doing our best, as Westport. The “Kings of Hartford” to see it that way- one size fits all -take it or leave it.
Legislation is passed “special session- emergency” with no debate or discussion by Hartford Dems….
Give us state land, and let us help you develop “REAL Affordable Housing” unlike what is happening now where “defining affordable” on percentages of market rate is insane- as market rate is so high- “affordable component” is not affordable to the average person.
Hey, always a pleasure with your insights and thoughts. Have a great week- J.
If President Trump were a King he would not, thanksfully, allow those protestations to take place every few weeks; after calling him racist and Hitler to no avail, and King being just silly, what is left? As a legal immigrant and loving it here, I am puzzled about why most protesters are taking orders from a billionaire leaving in China or some elected liberals, here in the States, who made millions of dollars by stirring controversies. Hopefully, the plane load of people who went to Cuba to support the Castro regime, will think hard about wanting the same here, after witnessing how hard life is for the average Cuban family.
I just wanted to shed a little light on “No Kings.”
The mass protests this past weekend, were supposedly expressing their POVs about executive power. And maybe, here in Westport, you think you were. But, I believe in challenging the premise. And.. that’s not what people were chanting all over the US in this coordinated opposition.
They were chanting:
“Death to America.”
“Death to the Zionist entity.”
“Long live the Intifada.”
At the same protests…there were communist flags.
Calls for communist revolution.
Calls to overthrow the American system.
This isn’t random and it’s not just activism.
Researchers say the activists operate within a $2.9 billion network of mostly tax-exempt organizations, including some funded by billionaire George Soros—that may violate nonprofit laws by linking anti-Israel messaging to domestic opposition through partisan political work.
A new database launched by the Pearl Project reveals 265 organizations behind the “No Kings” protests, including 79 charitable 501(c)(3) groups ($750 million), 100 social-welfare 501(c)(4) nonprofits ($722 million), 24 labor unions ($1.4 billion), and 24 Democratic PACs ($29 million).
None of the nonprofit entities pays federal taxes despite engaging in explicitly partisan work.
Organizing for what activists have dubbed the “Palestine Contingent” has emerged in major US cities. New York’s “UAW Labor for Palestine” called for participants to demand
an end to arming Israel. Oakland’s “Bay Area Labor
4 Palestine” instructed followers
to bring flags and keffiyehs, and Seattle added anti-Israel activist Tariq Ra’ouf to the official speaker lineup.
George Soros has given millions to Indivisible,
the central architect of protest mapping, toolkits and turnout since 2017.
Indivisible received hundreds of thousands from the Tides Foundation which has been accused of funding anti-Israel campus protests.
President Trump has directed the Justice Department to investigate.
The network encompasses groups like PSL, Democratic Socialists of America(DSA), and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)
that promote support of U.S.-designated terror groups and seek to transform America into a socialist state.
Combining anti-Israel activism with anti-Trump organizing raises questions about tax-exempt revenue being weaponized for partisan political goals.
Taken together, the chants for “Intifada,” the cries of “Death to America” and “Death to the Zionist Entity,” and the open calls for communist revolution did not appear as isolated or unrelated outbursts, but as overlapping expressions of the same radical political energy present at these No Kings protests. Rather than reflecting a narrow, peaceful objection to executive power, the demonstrations revealed a broader ideological coalition in which anti-Americanism, revolutionary leftism, and extremist pro-Intifada rhetoric existed side by side—and, in some cases, appeared to reinforce one another.
What happens in cities like Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, etc.. etc… may not look exactly like Westport, but before you show up with your pom poms, you might want to take a good look at what’s behind the mission.
Don’t believe me? Do the research yourself. It’s all out there and available.
Hi Ms Bomback-
I took your advice and asked my google AI to research if “No Kings Protests” were in fact -anti Israel or communist inspired false flags operations. This is what came back- mostly citing FOX News!
“There is no evidence that the “No Kings” protests are primarily funded by anti-Israel factions. The movement is a decentralized coalition of over 270 organizations, and its primary coordination is managed by the progressive group Indivisible.
While some participants and secondary partner organizations hold anti-Israel views, the confirmed financial backers are major American philanthropic and advocacy networks:
Primary Funding Sources: The Open Society Foundations (founded by George Soros) provided a $3 million grant to Indivisible to support social welfare activities. Other major contributors identified by researchers include the Tides Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the Arabella Advisors network.
Logistical Support: Large labor unions, such as the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the SEIU, provided in-kind resources like transportation and volunteer coordination.
Anti-Israel Participation: Reports from Fox News and other outlets noted that certain local chapters and “contingents,” such as the Palestine Labor Solidarity Contingent and Seattle Against War, joined the rallies to promote anti-Israel messages. However, these are categorized as participants within the broader coalition rather than the movement’s primary financial architects.
Mainstream Focus: The central organizers have generally focused the protests on domestic issues such as immigration, executive power, and judicial appointments, rather than the conflict in Gaza or the “special relationship” with Israel.
Fox News”
So, you are correct that fringe groups appear to have tagged along but the primary focus, funding and participation of No Kings Protests were the authoritarian approach of our current POTUS and his administration to governing without consent of congress or following the spirit of the Constitution.
The failure to release the complete unredacted Epstein reports as overwhelmingly voted by Congress, the arbitrary destruction of the West Wing without architectural panel input, followed by the renaming/planned renovation of the Kennedy Center by a kangaroo Board and finally going to war without the advanced knowledge or consent of Congress were and are the overwhelming reasons the No Kings Protests were so widespread and massive.
Our local Westport protest rally was mirrored across CT and the USA. Just look at the signs in the pictures Dan has posted and look at the photos of the participants- from children to wheel chair bound veterans.
Just an opinion of what I saw and an AI appraisal as you suggested
Thanks to Steve Stein for correcting Dori Bomback’s hysterical and hilarious misinformation.
Dear Mr. Stein and Mr. Prince,
So as to alleviate all of the back and forth which neither of has the time or inclination for, I will simply focus in a couple of your points. The ones that are most salient to my initial post meant to connect the dots and educate the masses.
You can justify the separation or compartmentalization of Westport, CT, from the rest of the nation, anyway you like, but, the reality is that these are all well organized, funded, and directed narratives and THEY ARE ALL IN SYNC.
And whether or not you think you participated in such an event is completely irrelevant to the facts at hand.
Secondly, respectfully, I did not tell you to investigate AI.
AI will spit back anything it thinks you want to hear based on the way you pose your questions.
As such, allow me to make your life a little easier. Here are some direct sources from which you can trace the facts. Simply look up these organization and follow the money.
If you’re resourceful, you can research all of the groups I referenced above in my initial response, groups like PSL, DSA, JVP. and the Pearl Project.
The No Kings protests are orchestrated by the 50501 Movement, which despite its grassroots branding, relies on massive institutional support.
The movement’s three primary funders are Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss’ Foundation ($293.6 million), George Soros’ Open Society Foundation ($194.2 million), and Arabella ($47 million), according to reporting that identified the financial networks behind the demonstrations.
You can read about Soros in The Free Press, on Substack, in the NYPost, yes, also Fox News. You can do a deeper dive by investigating Open Society via NGO monitor, Campus Reform– Oh did you know he was behind the HAMAS APPROVED college campus protests- paying students to organize anti-Israel campus protests nationwide.
Let’s mention Hansjorg Wyss’ Foundation- In May 2021, the New York Times criticized the Wyss Foundation’s close ties and funding for the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which it called one of the “leading dark money spenders on the Left” responsible for distributing more than $63 million in super PAC donations that hurt Republicans and aided Democrats in the 2020 election, as well for “help[ing] create and fund dozens of groups, including some that worked to block Mr. Trump’s nominees and push progressive appointments by Mr. Biden.” That’s a direct quote from your liberal news. Oh and check POLITICO, and the NYPost too. TALK ABOUT KINGS! HE’S NOT EVEN AMERICAN AND HE’S TRYING TO INFLUENCE AMERICAN POLICIES AND SHAPE AMERICAN OPINION.
Finally, Arabella … another dark money spender hiding behind the term “foundation.” Check out the Washington Examiner, The Daily Signal..
I will conclude, with a nefarious character I haven’t even mentioned yet. Neville Roy Singham.
In a recent exposé, Visegrad24’s Alexander Shaw delves into the intricate web woven by Neville Roy Singham, a multimillionaire tech entrepreneur, and his wife, Jodie Evans, the co-founder of the radical left-wing protest movement Code Pink. Together, they are alleged to be orchestrating one of the most effective foreign psychological operations in history, aiming to destabilize Western societies by promoting Communist and anti-American narratives.
It is wall known that are key financiers of a network of far-left organizations, including The People’s Forum and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. This network is heavily involved in organizing and funding the nationwide “#NoKings” protests, aimed at opposing U.S. political structures, specifically targeting the Trump administration in 2025 and 2026.
I can’t make anyone see the truth.. I can just point it out.
Hi Again-
And again taking your advice I started looking up the big three funders you cited.
Arabella- is a progressive supporting entity doing what is legally allowed. And backed by the Gates Foundation
“Key Aspects of Arabella Advisors:
Operations & Transition: Following years of conservative criticism, the firm announced in late 2025 that its operations team would move to a new entity, Sunflower Services, according to Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Nonprofit Management: Arabella provided administrative, legal, and operational support to four major nonprofit funds that serve as fiscal sponsors, managing roughly $1- 2 billion in revenue for them in 2023, according to Ballotpedia.
These include:
New Venture Fund
Sixteen Thirty Fund
Hopewell Fund
Windward Fund
Services: They helped clients with grantmaking, impact investing, advocacy, and managing complex campaigns.
Political Role: The firm has been heavily criticized by Republican lawmakers for its role in directing money to liberal causes and for its lack of donor transparency, say Chronicle of Philanthropy and The New York Times. However, the D.C. Attorney General closed a probe in 2024 without finding improper business conduct, reports Politico.
Clients/Backers: Major donors and organizations, including the Gates Foundation, have used Arabella’s services to distribute funds, say The New York Times and Wikipedia”
The Hansjorg Wyss’ Foundation- founded in 1998
” Opening paths to discovery and opportunity
The Wyss Foundation is a private, charitable foundation dedicated to supporting innovative, lasting solutions that improve lives, empower communities, and strengthen connections to the land. To confront the global conservation crisis, the Wyss Foundation launched a $1.5 billion campaign, called the Wyss Campaign for Nature.”
And about George Soros- a frequent target of the Right-
The Open Society Foundations (OSF), founded by investor George Soros in 1979, are a global network of philanthropic funds aimed at fostering democracy, human rights, and accountability.
With over $32 billion in total donations, OSF supports justice, education, and progressive causes worldwide, largely focusing on creating “open societies” that reject authoritarianism.
Key Details About the Open Society Foundations:
Founder: George Soros, a Hungarian-born philanthropist and hedge fund manager who began his philanthropy by funding scholarships for Black students in South Africa in 1979.
Mission: To promote justice, democratic practice, and human rights, especially in areas facing authoritarian influence.
Activities: OSF works in over 60 countries and focuses on issues like racial justice, drug policy reform, the climate crisis, and protecting civil liberties.
Funding: The OSF is one of the world’s largest private philanthropic networks, with significant funding from Soros’s personal fortune.
Structure: Originally, it operated as a decentralized network, but it has shifted toward a more integrated global structure between 2022 and 2024, including regional offices.
Focus Areas and Impact:
Democracy and Law: Funding advocacy and initiatives that strengthen democratic participation, accountability, and the rule of law.
Equality and Inclusion: Supporting marginalized communities, including extensive funding for Europe’s Roma communities.
Education and Human Rights: Promoting open debate and academic freedom, including supporting the Central European University.
Economic Opportunity: Investing in initiatives like the Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF) to create positive social impact.
Criticism and Controversy:
Soros’s philanthropic activities, particularly in promoting progressive causes, have made him a frequent target of conservative politicians, nationalists, and right-wing theorists, especially in Europe and the U.S..
Some critics have perpetuated conspiracy theories, which have often been deemed antisemitic, targeting Soros as a “puppet master”.
Wikipedia”
I am not sure what you are trying to prove by just saying there are well established foundations on the left willing to give money to liberal/ progressive causes – just as there are many foundations backing conservative causes that have right wing white supremecists, Neo nazis, and Proud boy antisemites tagging along for the exposure.
What is missing from your post is the fact that 99.99% of the folks demonstrating were protesting for NO KINGS- directly addressing POTUS and the way he he is running roughshod over our duly elected congress and the system of justice under the constiution that has been in place for 250th year.
I have enumerated all the authoritarian actions of Potus – you can reread my previous posts to remind yourself what I am pointing out.
Thank you for continuing to discuss this very important topic and allowing me to respond with my points of view on NO KINGS