Haitians rally on Long Island to demand apology from Trump and Vance

UNIONDALE, NY – A sea of red and blue Haitian flags intertwined with American ones as Haitian Americans, elected officials, and high-ranking Democrats gathered near Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday. Their demand: a formal apology following Republican candidate Donald Trump’s inflammatory comments about Haitian immigrants.

“We demand a formal apology from the Trump campaign as well as a restatement of the true facts,” said Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages, a Democrat from Valley Stream. “We will not tolerate dehumanizing lies about our community.”

The protesters denounced Trump’s alleged extremism and his baseless and debunked accusations against Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. The rally also protested Trump’s presidential campaign event at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 

By 1 p.m. hundreds of Haitians dressed in red and blue joined the gathering, chanting and waving their flags in unison. 

“We are not going back,” the protesters chanted, waving both Haitian and American flags.

“This is reminiscent of what we saw during the 1980s when thousands of Haitians marched on the Brooklyn Bridge to protest against discrimination,” Solages said. “We are not going anywhere. We are here to let Trump know he made a big mistake by being a racist against Haïtians.

The crowd condemned the recent remarks made by Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, who falsely claimed Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, were eating residents’ cats and dogs. 

Local officials in Ohio later confirmed there were no reports supporting Trump’s claims. A woman who initially circulated the rumor on Facebook later apologized, admitting it was unsubstantiated, according to NBC News.

“We demand a formal apology from the Trump campaign as well as a restatement of the true facts.”

 Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages said.

In addition to pushing for a formal apology, the rally addressed what Democratic officials call Long Island Republicans’ “dangerous shift” toward Trump’s brand of extremism, a shift they say abandons the concerns of local voters. New York State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs was expected to lead the protest outside the venue.

“As Long Island faces challenges such as high property taxes and increasing costs of living, local leaders are standing together to highlight how Trump and local Republicans’ shift towards extremism leaves behind the priorities of suburban families,” Democratic officials said in a news release.

At the rally, protesters called for stronger protections for Haitian individuals across the United States and demanded accountability from leaders at all levels of government.

“We are not here to make noise; we are here to ask for an apology,” Solages added.

Solages, who became the first Haitian-American elected to the Nassau County Legislature in 2011, emphasized the urgency of the group’s demands. Alongside their demand for an apology, they appealed to President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and all relevant leaders to take immediate steps to ensure the physical safety of Haitians.

The group also urged Congress to formally recognize anti-Haitian rhetoric and actions as hate speech. This recognition would provide civil rights protections under existing hate crime legislation and ensure Haitian communities have access to legal remedies when targeted by racially motivated violence, discrimination, or hate speech.

Additionally, they called on governors of states with significant Haitian populations, such as Ohio, to allocate emergency funding for culturally competent mental health services tailored to Haitian communities.

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Haitians rally on Long Island to demand apology from Trump and Vance was first posted on September 18, 2024 at 9:55 pm.