The Spirit of America Rally, which was billed as a non-partisan rally for anyone supporting President Trump took place in downtown Buffalo Saturday Afternoon. Hundreds of people came out in support of the president, including local Businessman Carl Paladino, who was quick to attack elected officials that he feels are causing issues for Trumps presidency, including Senate Minority Leader and Chuck Schumer.
"Schumer just, he can’t help himself, he’s going to be a disgusting representative of New York, he’s gonna embarrass us more... I don’t think he represents an iota of the people of upstate New York.”
However as Paladino Spoke nearly 100 protesters voiced their opinion, chanting that Paladino "has to go" in reference to him being removed from the Buffalo School Board for comments in a 2016 Artvoice article that many have deemed racially insensitive.
Protesters did express some frustration with President Trump, who the rally was held in support of, but mostly focused on their issues with Paladino and Erie County Sheriff Tim Howard.
“We’re out here today trying to lift up some of the atrocities that Carl Paladino and Tim Howard have both said and done in their position as elected officials in our community.” Said Whitney Yax of Showing Up for Racial Justice Buffalo, one of the groups leading the protest against Paladino and Howard.
The interaction between protesters and rally attendees became heated at times, with the buffalo police needed to separate the two groups. However despite the heated interactions both sides remained peaceful and Buffalo Police report that no arrests were made as a result of the rally or the protest.
