ORANGE — Residents from central and western Massachusetts, including a candidate running for the U.S. Senate, gathered at the town park Saturday afternoon in support of President Donald Trump.
The rally, which began at 1 p.m., was organized by the Orange Republican Town Committee.
“We’re small in number, but the silent majority is here,” organizer Ray Younghans of Orange said.
The gathering also drew a counter-demonstration at a nearby street corner.
According to Younghans, Saturday’s demonstration was to show people that there are Republicans in Massachusetts.
“All you see are Democrats,” Younghans said. “Give us a chance. President Trump is for the American people.”
Demonstrators, most of whom were not wearing masks, lined the sidewalks of South Main Street by the park, holding signs that read, “America Backs the Blue,” “Women for Trump” and “Trump, Pence 2020.”
Donna Fiduccia of Leominster was one of the 50 or so individuals who attended the rally.
“This is amazing,” she said. “I’m floored.”
Fiduccia, who heard about the rally in Orange through the network of Republican committees across the state, said she has always been a supporter of Trump.
“I support America,” she said. “I support the Constitution. I’m a Christian, and I’m pro-life.”
She said she was also there to support police officers.
Kevin O’Connor, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, was also at the rally on Saturday to show his support for the president and police officers.
He added that it was a chance to “bring people together, and to hear what they have to say.”
Nick Taggs of Charlton attended the rally on Saturday to show support for O’Connor.
“I think he’s a strong, constitutional conservative,” Taggs said. “He stands with law enforcement, and I think he’s our best chance to beat (Rep. Joseph) Kennedy or (Sen. Edward) Markey. He’ll be a voice that represents the people of Massachusetts.”
At the other end of South Main Street, near the intersection of South and West Main streets, a counter-demonstration was taking place.
The counter-demonstration was organized by an Orange resident who heard of the Trump rally scheduled to happen Saturday afternoon. In just two days, she organized a group of roughly a dozen members of the community to gather for a counter-demonstration.
“We wanted a visible show of opposition to show there are residents … who are strongly opposed to (Trump’s) policies and values,” said Maile S.
Standing at the corner of West and North Main streets, Orange resident Peter Cross and his wife, Candy, held signs to show their opposition to Trump.
“We wanted to make sure that the demonstration didn’t lead people to think that the large majority of people here are for Trump,” he said, adding that even with a pro-Trump demonstration happening just down the street, most of the comments they’ve received from passersby have been positive.
“We’re not trying to fight,” he said.
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 263. Twitter: @MaryEByrne