By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — More than 60 people turned out for a Labor Day rally in downtown Warsaw, decrying rising prices in various parts of the US economy.
Monday’s overarching theme concentrated on economic issues, including the cost of housing, groceries, insurance, and taxes.
Robert Osbun, the Kosciusko County Democratic Party treasurer who helped organize the rally, contends President Trump is ignoring the economy.
Trump promised to lower prices on Day One. Instead, he’s done anything but that. Instead, he’s focused on DEI, harassing immigrants, and invading cities,” Osbun said.
“He’s done nothing to help working families,” he said.
Osbun said many of Indiana’s Republican leaders, including Congressmen Rudy Yakym andMarlin Stutzman, US Sens. Jim Banks and Todd Young and” Gov. Mike Braun are “too afraid of Trump’s retributions to stop the attacks on the economy and Democracy.
The protest, one of many organized locally in the first nine months of President Trump’s second term, also drew attention to other issues, including efforts by President Trump to push Indiana Republicans into considering a mid-decade congressional redistricting, which one protester said is a form of election fraud.
One woman at the protest said such a move is tantamount to election fraud.
She said she thinks Gov. Mike Braun will push forward with calling for a special session to order the redistricting regardless of public opinion.
“They no longer measure whether it’s popular or not. They just do what the orange guy says,” the woman said.
Brian Smith, who serves as the Democratic Party’s 2nd District Congressional Chair, also took a shot at Congressman Rudy Yakym’s opposition to the electric vehicle tax credit that would have benefited Slate Auito as it begins production next year in Warsaw. As a result, the company has had to raise its base to $25,000.
“What Rudy Yakym is doing – his votes in DC – specifically the bill that repeals the EV tax credit, is negatively impacting our city in Warsaw and his district.”
A few agitators showed up once again, occasionally revving engines. blaring horns and squealing tires near protesters lined North Detroit Street across from the library.
Warsaw Police maintained a presence near the protest area. One person was pulled. Another was detained and cited for violation of the city noise ordinance.
The one who was ticketed told News Now Wasaw he was given permission by somebody at the Pak-a-Sac gas station and that that gave him the right to honk his horn for long stretches of time because he was on private property.
Police then arrived and cited him for the noise violation.
Similar protests were held in South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Niles, Michigan.
Below are a few photos of protesters and (at the bottom) a counter-protester who was cited for a violation of the city’s noise ordinance. News Now Warsaw photos by Dan Spalding.
