Presidents Day protests taking place in CT

NEW HAVEN, CT (WFSB) - Protesters in Connecticut joined those across the country on Monday to speak out against the Trump Administration.

The protests started in New Haven and Old Saybrook before they moved to Hartford.

They carried signs reading “Save our Democracy” and “Trump is not my president.”

In Hartford, a huge crowd rallied outside the state Supreme Court today.

Capitol police estimated close to 1,000 people.

Presidents Day is usually a pretty quiet holiday, but these protestors want to be heard.

The protests started at noon. There were people holding signs on the steps of the Supreme Court and across the street at the State Capitol.

Trump has been in office less than two months. These protestors are concerned about all the actions he and Elon Musk have taken to dismantle the government.

“We are in a fragile state, and the current administration, the way it’s going, is putting a lot of us in jeopardy. It’s important that we raise our voice, even if it’s one individual. It’s a collective,” said Jeff Snyder, Newtown.

“Our daughter works for the EPA and she is now being forced to go back to work. She’s not sure she’s going to have a job, even though she’s been there 6 or 7 years, after they start doing cuts in the late spring,” said Carolyn Reiners, Newtown.

Those who came to Hartford today are also worried about human rights and how states like Connecticut may be punished.

Trump has threatened to take away federal funding from states that have lower birth rates.

“He’s not my president because he pushes out negative images and connotations of all kinds of people such as immigrants, minorities. At the end of the day, we should be focused on being united, not dividing people,” said Ariel Mason, Middletown.

“Just the amount of scrutiny we face in our everyday lives just for existing is unfathomable,” added Katie Fuhrmann.

In New Haven, the steps of city hall were filled with more protestors.

Some have concerns about social security, our democracy and equality.

“A lot of people are frustrated and feeling helpless, I think. You don’t really know where to go because there are some many different attacks coming from so many different angles,” said Jessica Thompson, Guilford.

In Old Saybrook, they described it as a National Day of Protests through which they called upon Congress to restore constitutional order.

They argued that since President Donald Trump took control of the executive branch of government on Jan. 20, 2025, his administration has violated numerous administrative, judicial, and international norms.

They may feel helpless, but together they feel they have a voice.

“I am glad to be here part of the people that are letting the rest of the country know that we don’t want this,” said Scott Gray, Wallingford.

Hundreds of people came out on this day shouting, ‘This is not my president,’ but among the crowd was a man on the other side carrying a Trump flag.

The protests in Connecticut came less than two weeks after the last wave of anti-Trump protests hit state capitals around the country.