Hundreds Protest Trump in New London Leading into Coast Guard Commencement
by Mirmina, N. Rosenberg,May 20, 2026, Stamford Advocate
Janet Bannister held a series of hand-drawn emoji signs at McKinley Park on Wednesday, each one reflecting a different emotion she said has defined the Trump administration for her.
“It’s hard to choose between being angry and being sad and being outraged,” said Bannister, a 54-year-old Mansfield resident.
Similar feelings of frustration surfaced throughout the park, where hundreds of other protesters gathered ahead of President Donald Trump’s commencement address to the Coast Guard Academy, which was closed to the public.
The New London protests were the latest outcry from Connecticut residents over Trump’s second-term agenda.
Since Trump took office in January 2025, tens of thousands of demonstrators across the state have rallied against the administration’s immigration crackdown, federal spending cuts and foreign policy decisions while also warning that Trump’s expanding use of executive power threatens democratic norms.
Kirsten Peru, a 21-year-old military spouse from Groton whose family immigrated from Mexico, stood near the park entrance holding a Mexican flag.
Peru, who said it was her first protest, described immigration enforcement as her top concern. The issue is deeply personal for her. She said her mother was deported roughly 20 years ago after coming to the U.S. and giving birth to her.
She attended Wednesday’s protest to “speak up for those who can’t use their voice.” [Full article at bit.ly/4usp8kW]