A rainy afternoon did little to dampen enthusiasm as dozens of residents gathered along Fall Street in Seneca Falls on Sunday for a Flag Day rally that combined celebrations of Pride Month with opposition to policies advanced by President Donald Trump.
Organizers said the event was held in coordination with thousands of similar “Take Back the Flag” demonstrations across the country. Participants assembled near the Women’s Rights National Historical Park, waving American flags and signs while lining the village’s main thoroughfare.
The rally was organized by Nicole Tedesche of the FLX ROAR Feminist Group and co-hosted by Indivisible Seneca, Indivisible Cayuga County and Wayne Action for Racial Equality, known as WARE. Organizers said the groups collectively represent several thousand volunteers across the region.
Tedesche, a Seneca Falls native who has organized regular demonstrations in the village for more than a year, said the event was intended to show continued opposition to policies participants believe threaten constitutional rights and democratic institutions. Other organizers emphasized themes of civic engagement, inclusion and community advocacy.
Thomas Bjorkman of Varick, a steering committee member with Indivisible Seneca, said organizers wanted to reclaim the American flag as a symbol representing all Americans. Joey Young, a community organizer with WARE, said the event brought together people from different backgrounds to promote unity and support for democratic values.
Organizers said participating groups have held demonstrations in communities including Auburn, Sodus, Ovid and Seneca Falls since 2025, often drawing their largest crowds during nationally coordinated days of action. Indivisible, founded in 2017, has grown into a nationwide grassroots network with local chapters across the country.
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