ALLENTOWN, Pa. — More than a hundred protesters in Allentown demonstrated Thursday night against President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie as part of nationwide May Day protests.
They gathered at the Arts Park, where Lehigh County Democratic Committee Executive Carmen Bell told the crowd she was “outraged … at the bastardization of the rule of law.”
“I need you to tell your friends, your family, your neighbors, anybody who will listen to you … we’re in the fight of our lives here,” Bell said.
Mayor Matt Tuerk urged protesters to “make sure everyone hears you in Allentown” before they started walking toward the office Mackenzie, R-7th District, shares with U.S. Sen. David McCormick, R-Pa., on Hamilton Street.
“No kings, no clowns/Donald Trump is going down.”
Protesters in downtown Allentown
The crowd continuously chanted on the way. Many were common refrains, such as, “Hey, hey; ho, ho/Donald Trump has got to go,” and “Show me what democracy looks like."
But one new chant kept making its way back to the top of the playlist: “No kings, no clowns/Donald Trump is going down.”
Many drivers showed their support as protesters snarled traffic, but the group also drew at least a few middle fingers.
'We have to speak up'
The Rev. Steve Davis, senior pastor of St. John’s UCC Fullerton in Whitehall Township, led a chant as protesters passed by the Da Vinci Science Center, just across the street from their destination in the Butz Corporate Center.
"We have to change things now."
Rev. Steve Davis, senior pastor of St. John’s UCC Fullerton in Whitehall
Davis told LehighValleyNews.com he is “participating in as many protests as I can to stand for the marginalized, to stand for government workers that are being treated unfairly, to stand for the core of our democracy that's being dismantled.”
“We have to speak up against the flagrant violation of our constitution,” Davis said.
The Trump Administration is facing more than 200 lawsuits challenging his sweeping executive actions on immigration and deportations, mass layoffs and tariffs, among other issues, in his first 100 days, ABC News reports.
“Come out, come out wherever you are!"
Protesters in downtown Allentown
Davis said he was heartened to see “more resistance” and called for protesters to “keep the pressure on” Mackenzie, McCormick and Trump.
“We have to change things now,” Davis said.
'We want a town hall!'
The crowd demonstrated outside Mackenzie's and McCormick’s downtown office for a short time, during which they demanded face time with the congressman.
“Come out, come out wherever you are!” they chanted.
“We want a town hall! We want a town hall!”
The group then took over the Soldiers and Sailors monument for a bit, with the rally dying out about 90 minutes after its start.
The demonstration was “absolutely not newsworthy” because the congressman’s office has become the site of frequent protests since its opening in February.
Arnaud Armstrong, U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie’s communications director
Arnaud Armstrong, Mackenzie’s communications director, did not directly answer when asked whether the congressman had any plans for an in-person town hall.
Instead, Armstrong referred LehighValleyNews.com to Mackenzie’s telephone town hall in March and a CNN town hall in April, at which he and three other Congress members fielded questions from voters in their districts during a 90-minute program.
Armstrong also didn’t answer questions about protesters' concerns over Trump’s immigration policies and tariffs.
He called the demonstration “absolutely not newsworthy” because the congressman’s office has become the site of frequent protests since its opening in February.
Protesters demonstrated outside Mackenzie’s office as about 250 people held a May Day rally in Bethlehem.
Both came hours after another candidate entered the race to challenge Mackenzie in 2026.
Carol Obando-Derstine announced her bid for Congress on Thursday morning at Payrow Plaza in Bethlehem.
Derstine, who was born in Colombia and has lived in the Lehigh Valley for 20 years, joins Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure in the race for the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania’s Seventh Congressional District.