VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Syracuse is ready for peaceful protests, America may not be
Jack Ziskin, NCC News: Anti-ICE protests are sweeping across the country, and Syracuse is no exception, with over 1,000 people set to march in this Saturday’s protest.
Kieran Coffee, Syracuse Police Department spokesperson: We’ve never ran into any issues with protests in the past, and I don’t see us—even when there was protest against the police, we still were able to protect those that were marching and protect their freedom of speech. So I don’t see anything different this weekend.
Judy Jerome, CNY Solidarity Coalition: We will not succumb to, um, provocation. We will not respond if the National Guard is called in. They will, they will be there. We will be there. Maybe they will join us.
Jack Ziskin: Protesters and police don’t anticipate any issues at the demonstration—they anticipate it will be peaceful. But if the National Guard is sent in, there’s no accounting for what might happen. Jack Ziskin, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Protests against the Trump administration are spreading nationwide, with Syracuse set to join the movement this Saturday. More than 1,200 people in Central New York have signed up to participate in the “No Kings Day” protest with organizers planning to meet at Syracuse Inner Harbor at 12:30 p.m.
It is a part of a nationwide movement that coincides with a military parade scheduled for June 14, which is Flag Day. June 14 is also President Donald Trump birthday.
Syracuse Police Department spokesperson Kieran Coffey expressed confidence that the event will remain peaceful. He said that local authorities have dealt with similar protests in the past without issue and see minimal risk of escalation.
“We’ve never run into any problems with protests in the past,” Coffey said. “And when there were protests against the police, we still were able to protect those that were marching and protect their freedom of speech. I don’t expect anything different this weekend.”
Judy Jerome of the CNY Solidarity Coalition said that the organization is prepared to protest peacefully.
“We always have ongoing discussions about safety and how to keep people safe…. we have not had any issues so far either with our April 5 our May 1 rallies,” Jerome said.
Both the police and protesters seem optimistic that the demonstration will remain peaceful, but Trump’s decision to send the National Guard into Los Angeles, and a possible deployment of the New York State National Guard in Syracuse, could change all of that.
Trump has not said he would deploy troops to Central New York. But when asked about what it would take for Trump to send Marines to LA, which he did on Monday, Trump said, “The bar is what I think it is. If we see danger to our country and to our citizens, we will be be very, very strong in terms of law and order. It’s about law and order.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) has argued that Trump’s actions have escalated the situation. The governor’s office said in a press release: “On Saturday, there were 250+ protesters pre-National Guard deployment. On Sunday, the protesters grew to 3,000+ post-deployment of the National Guard by the federal government. Their presence is inviting and incentivizing demonstrations.”
Jerome said that, either way, the protest will go on.
“We will not succumb to provocation,” Jerome said. “If the National Guard is called in, they will be there. We will be there. Maybe they’ll join us.”