New York Lawmakers Speak Out After Proud Boys March In Rockville Centre
Originally published in
Nassau Daily Voice
Lawmakers in New York are speaking out after the Proud Boys returned to Long Island in an effort to make another statement.
On Sunday, May 22, video and photos were captured of the march in Nassau County, which involved members of the hate group walking through streets in Rockville Centre.
- Earlier story - March Through Long Island Village By Group Of Proud Boys Sparks Concern
Democratic lawmakers were swift to respond to the incident.
“While we were rallying against hate yesterday in Great Neck, the racist, neo-fascist ‘Proud Boys’ were marching through the streets of Nassau County once again in an effort to intimidate our community and spread their vile, hateful agenda,” Sen. Anna Kaplan said in a statement. “We have to reject this hate and extremism whenever it shows itself in our community, so I’m calling this shameful display out for what it is: nothing more than a modern-day Klan march happening in our community. There’s no place for this hate on Long Island, and we all need to speak with one voice in saying so.”
Photos and video of the incident showed members of the group marching in Rockville Centre with American and “Proud Boy” flags along with several trucks with similar propaganda rolling through the area.
Sen. Todd Kaminsky - who has an office in Rockville Centre and shared video of the march on social media that can be found here - also called out the marchers.
“Hey Long Island … Let’s make sure we never forget to notice when neo-fascist hate groups take to our streets in broad daylight,” he said. “Yesterday, the Proud Boys came to (Rockville Centre) again. This can’t be the new normal and this isn’t who we are.”
Nassau County Legislator Siela Bynoe also chimed in on social media, calling the group out for “neo-fascist rhetoric.”
“Yesterday, the residents of Rockville Centre were once again subjected to the noxious presence of the so-called Proud Boys and their white nationalist, neofascist rhetoric,” she said.
"Now more than ever, it is crucial for people of good conscience to stand together to reject their racist, misogynistic, antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ bigotry and send a clear message that hate has no place in Rockville Centre, Nassau County or anywhere else in our nation.”
Rockville Centre Mayor Francis Murray has not responded to the incident.
