MONTICELLO — A few hundred protesters gathered Saturday in front of the Sullivan County Courthouse and along Broadway in Monticello, joining a nationwide “No Kings” demonstration to voice opposition to President Donald Trump and his administration.

The protest, which stretched from the Sullivan County Courthouse down Broadway toward Landfield Avenue, featured a mix of signs, chants and live folk music, as participants lined both sides of the street in chilly conditions.

Attendees cited a range of concerns driving them to participate, most commonly pointing to fears about the state of American democracy, government corruption and recent international tensions.

“We have to get America democratic again,” said Francis Cape, who attended with Liza Phillips. “We cannot have this authoritarian trashing of our country.”

Others echoed similar sentiments, though many described their motivations in broad or general terms rather than pointing to a single issue.

Cliff Manning said he attended to stand “in solidarity” with others opposed to the administration, citing concerns ranging from immigration enforcement to election integrity and U.S. involvement abroad.

“We don’t want ICE in our town at all,” Manning said. “We want to make sure that our free and fair elections [are] not interfered with.”

Manning said demonstrations in smaller communities like Monticello still carry weight.

“It’s going to let people know around the world that we’re just a small town, but we’re standing in solidarity with them,” he said.

Others raised concerns about foreign policy, particularly the possibility of a broader conflict involving Iran.

“This is gonna be another endless war,” one attendee said, “And he doesn’t even know why he started it.”

Shelly Eggleton of Roscoe said she felt compelled to attend out of concern for democratic institutions and voting rights.

“I am very passionate about democracy in the United States of America,” Eggleton said, “We need to secure our democracy from the president and his cabinet.”

Eggleton added that multiple issues contributed to her decision to attend.

“There’s too many issues to even put them all out there,” she said.

Another attendee, who declined to give her name, described the current political climate as overwhelming.

“Every hour something unbelievable happens,” she said, “It’s terrifying.”

Chants of “Love not hate makes America great,” “Whose streets? Our streets,” and “We shall not be moved” could be heard throughout the afternoon, accompanied by musicians performing protest songs.

Signs carried by demonstrators included messages critical of Trump and broader calls opposing authoritarianism and fascism.

The gathering appeared peaceful, with no visible law enforcement issues as of the afternoon.