Clay County Dems Join Nationwide Protests
On President’s Day 2025, the Democrat party organized protests nationwide to demonstrate its displeasure with Donald Trump’s presidency. One protest occurred in Orange Park, on the corner of Park Avenue and Kingsley Boulevard.
Clay News & Views talked with the protestors about why they were protesting and what they hoped to accomplish. For the most part, the protestors toed standard party talking points of abortion, healthcare, LGBT rights, and “defeating fascism.” They also strongly believe President Trump is a fascist, a felon, and a traitor unfit for office.
The protestors also expressed concerns about Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E). At several points during the protest, the attendees shouted, “No More Musk!” The protestors view Musk as a threat to the security of sensitive information such as tax records and Social Security Numbers.
A few of the protestors were there to protest the perceived “erasure” of the rights of transgender people, though they could not provide specifics on what rights in particular had been erased.
Later, Samantha Wernet, the leader of the Clay County Young Republicans, arrived to stage a solo counterprotest. With a bullhorn and full Trump gear, Wernet expressed counterpoints to the protestors and the cars passing by.
As you might guess, some of the protestors didn’t take kindly to Wernet’s presence. Insults and elbows were thrown in her direction, and one protestor attempted to snatch her megaphone.
But the people protesting weren’t the only ones misbehaving. Cars passing by the event shouted obscenities at the protestor, shot the bird, and made other not-so-nice gestures from their vehicles. A few went as far as to do burnouts to annoy the protestors with the noise and fumes.
Despite the vitriol from a handful of attendees, most of the protestors were willing to discuss their reasons for protesting and their concerns about the future of our nation civilly. Clay News & Views was able to meet several leaders of the Democratic Party and invite them to be interviewed for our podcast.
I saw all of this nonsense. The Democrats all looked like weirdos.
Doesn’t the fact that the current administration has deigned that all mention of transgender people is forbidden mean that their right to exist is being denied? I have a male transgender family member, and believe me, no woman is going to be thrilled at seeing him, 6ft tall, shoulders like a football player and full beard and mustache, walking into the women’s bathroom. I’m not sure they have thought this through.