19 Photos
The parade passes the Montauk lighthouse on Octber 18.
The parade passes the Montauk Lighthouse on October 18. JULIA HEMING
The parking lots at the Montauk lighthouse were filled as parade attendees reached the end of the route. JULIA HEMING
Event organizer Shawn Farash enjoys a hotdog while interacting with other trump supporters at the Montauk Lightouse. JULIA HEMING
The corner of Couty Road 39 and Montauk Highway on Sunday afternoon. DANA SHAW
The corner of Couty Road 39 and Montauk Highway on Sunday afternoon. DANA SHAW
The corner of Couty Road 39 and Montauk Highway on Sunday afternoon. DANA SHAW
The corner of Couty Road 39 and Montauk Highway on Sunday afternoon. DANA SHAW
The corner of Couty Road 39 and Montauk Highway on Sunday afternoon. DANA SHAW
The corner of Couty Road 39 and Montauk Highway on Sunday afternoon. DANA SHAW
The corner of Couty Road 39 and Montauk Highway on Sunday afternoon. DANA SHAW
The corner of Couty Road 39 and Montauk Highway on Sunday afternoon. DANA SHAW
Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman watches as the "MAGA-Gras" parade heads onto Montauk Highway in Southampton on its way to Montauk on Sunday afternoon. DANA SHAW
Supporters of President Donald Trump in Montauk on Sunday. JULIA HEMING
Supporters of President Donald Trump in Montauk on Sunday. JULIA HEMING
Supporters of President Donald Trump made their way from Seaford to Montauk on Sunday. JULIA HEMING
Counter protesters along the "MAGA Gras" parade route to Montauk. JULIA HEMING
Counter protesters along the "MAGA Gras" parade route to Montauk. JULIA HEMING
Supporters of President Donald Trump made their way from Seaford to Montauk on Sunday. JULIA HEMING
Thousands of supporters of President Trump paraded in their cars from Seaford to the Montauk Lighthouse on Sunday.
The event was hosted by Loud Majority Long Island, a Facebook group made up of Long Island Trump supporters, which organizers said gathered over 9,000 cars to show their support for the President’s reelection campaign.
“We’ve been the silent majority for a long time, and we decided that had to change,” group leader and event organizer Shawn Farash of West Babylon said. “There are only so many times you can be falsely called a racist and a homophobe and misogynist and a fear monger. There is only so much of that you can take before you yell back, and we’re yelling back. Not physically to these protesters or anything like that. We’re yelling not only at the ballot box, but now you see us.”
Mr. Farash stood next to his truck decorated with flags in a tricorn hat, eating a hot dog as passers-by stopped to thank him for organizing the event as “I’m Proud to Be an American” played in the background.
“I love the United States of America and I love Trump. I think he is all we have left in terms of what we’re up against. There is a lack of resistance, for lack of a better word, to traditional American values,” he said.
The group held several similar events on Long Island in recent weeks. The first event was held six weeks ago in Copiague, and only 200 cars attended. By the next week, the event to Greenport had 2,000 cars in attendance, organizers claimed.
“There’s a lot more of us than people think,” Mr. Farash said. “And this is proving it, because they are growing these events.
“If we are going to take back our state, take back our country, if we are going to flip New York, we need to be bold,” he continued. “Not stupid, not reckless, not destructive, bold. That’s why I want to embolden and energize the base.”
From Southampton to Montauk, supporters lined the roads with flags, banners and smiles, cheering loudly as the parade of cars passed them. The parking lots of the Montauk Lighthouse, which can fit 800 to 900 cars, according to workers, quickly filled and the parade continued to stretch for 2 miles outside the lighthouse.
People attended for a multitude of reasons, they said, but everyone proclaimed a love for the president.
“I’m a patriot, I love my country, I love my president,” said Raymond Darcy, one of the attendees. “No matter what anyone says, he’s the best president we’ve had.”
There was also an emphasis in the crowd of the importance of showing their support prior to Election Day.
“You have to, everyone’s got to be here. Because you can’t lose, otherwise we’re in trouble,” said Rich Reutezl, another attendee.
Julia Heming on Oct 20, 2020