Portion Of Main Street To Be Closed Saturday For Anti-Trump Protest

Downtown Nantucket will be the location of a "No Kings" protest against President Donald Trump's administration this Saturday, and organizers have secured a permit from the town to close Main Street from noon to 3:30 p.m. for the event.

The protest will be one of thousands of similar gatherings planned nationwide for a so-called "No Kings Day of Action." On the island, the protest is being organized by Indivisible Nantucket, the local chapter of the national organization Indivisible, founded by Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, two former Democratic congressional aides, in response to Trump's election.

Saturday's protest is a follow-up to the "No Kings" rally last June, when more than 600 island residents gathered at Children's Beach and then marched through the downtown area protesting "against President Trump's authoritarianism."

"The October 18 day of action is the next step in this growing movement, channeling that energy into yet another coordinated, peaceful mobilization," Indivisible Nantucket stated in a press release.

The town street-closing permit will allow Indivisible Nantucket organizers to shut down the portion of Main Street from the Pacific National Bank to Federal Street. While sidewalks and shops will remain open, the closure has garnered some criticism from business owners.

"Peaceful demonstrations and rallies are cornerstones of our democracy, and I respect everyone's right to make their voice heard," Stephanie Correia, the owner of the Stephanie's Nantucket shop on Main Street, told the Select Board on Wednesday. "However, the proposed location for the upcoming rally on Saturday in the heart of the business district raises some significant concerns. This area is home to dozens of small businesses that rely on foot traffic, customer access, and the sense of safety in order to operate successfully. These types of gatherings unintentionally disrupt commerce, block parking, and create logistical challenges that impact both workers and customers. The goal should be to strike a balance supporting civic engagement and maintaining a healthy, functioning business community...I urge the (Select Board) and event organizers to reconsider the rally location so that we can uphold both our democratic values and the well-being of our local businesses."

Those sentiments were echoed by island resident Amy Eldridge.

"It kind of stinks," Eldridge told the Select Board. "We just came off a really bad weekend, which should have been a really good weekend for retail downtown, due to the storm. I understand the First Amendment right, freedom of speech and protesting, but I think it could be a better location to not harm the local businesses. Again, it seems like that corridor of Main Street has taken a hit quite a few times since the power outage of Stroll and all that kind of stuff. So I would just like to reiterate what she (Correia) said, that it's not a great location, and to tie up one of the last, maybe, hopefully good weekends for foot traffic before Stroll would be terrible for the different businesses on Main Street."

Organizers, however, believe the protest will be a "win-win," attracting even more people to the downtown area to patronize various businesses before, during, and after the event.

"The group is still trying different approaches to events, especially ones we anticipate to be larger, such as these nationally coordinated protests," said Indivisible Nantucket's Brad Smith. "It's our hope, as well, that any concerns from business owners about losing profits that day will be assuaged by the money spent from the large crowd gathered. My expectation is it will be a win/win for everyone. It is only for a few hours, at any rate, and the experience of having to circumvent Main Street will not be new to any Nantucketer."

While the town regularly issues street closing permits for annual events on Main Street, such as the Daffodil Festival car parade, Fourth of July festivities, and the Christmas Stroll, it has rarely, if ever, allowed Main Street to be closed for political protest.

"Municipalities in Massachusetts are bound by constitutional considerations, including the First Amendment, which protect individuals’ rights to free speech and peaceful assembly," said Florencia Rullo, the town's communications manager, in an email to the Current. "As such, the Town cannot limit free speech activity, including demonstrations, from occurring in traditional public forums, such as streets and sidewalks, provided the organizers comply with applicable public safety and permitting requirements. The Town’s role is not to assess or endorse the message or purpose of any demonstration, but rather to ensure that public safety is maintained and that the event proceeds in a way that minimizes disruption to residents and businesses. The Town’s public safety officials work collaboratively with event organizers to coordinate logistics and address potential impacts on traffic, access, and safety. While we recognize that political demonstrations differ in nature from traditional community celebrations such as Daffodil Weekend or the Fourth of July, the Town is required to review a planned demonstration event consistently and without regard to the viewpoints being expressed by organizers and attendees."

The plan for the protest on Main Street is as follows:

• 1 p.m.: Music from Susan Ray
• 1:15 p.m.: A letter to the president from historian Peter Panchy; Reading of the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights
• 2 p.m.: March around town