Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Thursday evening, July 17, for the annual “Good Trouble” rally, an event inspired by civil rights leader and former U.S. Rep. John Lewis, to protest what organizers described as rising threats to democracy, civil liberties and immigrant rights in Nassau County and across the country.
Organized to honor Lewis’s legacy of nonviolent civil disobedience, the rally aimed to “redeem the soul of America” through peaceful protest, civic engagement, and public accountability.
The event’s name stems from Lewis’s iconic call to get into “good trouble, necessary trouble,” in the face of injustice. This year’s focus was on what organizers described as growing threats to democracy and civil rights, both nationally and locally, particularly around immigration enforcement and executive overreach.
“John Lewis taught us that protest is patriotic,” said Judy Esterquest, a leader with the League of Women Voters of Port Washington–Manhasset, which co-hosted the rally alongside the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock. “What we’re witnessing today is the erosion of our constitutional safeguards. The executive branch is usurping the authority of Congress and the courts.”
Organizers initially planned to hold the rally on the steps of the Nassau County Legislature, with permission reportedly granted by Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.
But upon arrival, they were redirected and forced to relocate to the police department across the street, as another event took place on the steps.
Ryder said he did speak with someone from the event but also said, “All rallies should apply for a permit.” Ryder said anyone looking to hold any event at the Legislature should contact Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Sonia Arora, a social justice coordinator at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock and one of the event organizers, said she spoke with Ryder and wasn’t told that a permit was needed. He “thanked me for letting him know and would inform the police.”
The police headquarters became a symbolic backdrop for speakers who denounced Nassau County’s participation in 287(g) agreements, which allow local law enforcement to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Cheryl Keshner, of the Long Island Language Advocates Coalition and the Long Island Immigrant Justice Alliance, delivered a scathing critique of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and local police agencies.
Keshner said that despite promises from county officials not to cooperate with federal deportations, local agencies have helped detain more than 1,500 people for immigration pickup over the last five months.
“These are our neighbors, our friends,” Keshner said. “People are being deported to countries they barely know, held in poor conditions, and denied due process.”
Speakers made clear that while the rally was rooted in concern over national politics, particularly the return of Trump-era immigration and governance policies, it was also aimed at holding local officials accountable.
Susan Gottehrer, Nassau County director for the New York Civil Liberties Union, warned that the rollback of civil liberties is not confined to Washington.
“Good trouble means speaking up right here,” Gottehrer said. She spoke about Nassau having passed mask bans that target protesters, buffer zones around police, and deputizing officers to act as immigration agents.
Attendees from across the region offered impassioned remarks about what brought them out on a hot July evening.
Alice Stein, of Levittown, said she fears democracy is slipping away.
Joylette Williams, a Hempstead Board of Education trustee and candidate for Nassau County District Clerk, said she left the event feeling “empowered” and “ready to act.” She credited a friend for forwarding her the rally invitation.
“I want to do something for our communities, for our residents of Nassau County.”
Organizers urged attendees to return to the Nassau County Legislature on Sunday, July 28, at 1 p.m., for a follow-up rally specifically targeting the 287(g) agreements and calling on legislators to act. 
Alice Stein, a Levittown resident, joined the protest. Photo by Larissa FuentesThe event concluded with a message from Long Beach community leader James Hodge, who rallied the crowd with echoes of civil rights-era resolve.
“When they say ‘Get back,’ we say ‘Push back!’” Hodge shouted to cheers. “Anger without action is just anger. We’ve got work to do. Roll up your sleeves, because democracy is not a spectator sport.”
