On Veterans Day, a day meant to honor service, dozens of veterans gathered at City Hall Park with a different mission, protesting what they call the growing militarization of the city.

“We’re heading towards fascism. And to me, we have to be out on the streets,” Navy veteran Bob Peilbach said.

“It just makes no sense to me, the approach that we are taking,” Army veteran Susan O’Neill said.

The demonstration targeted ICE operations, cuts to social programs and what organizers fear could be future deployments of National Guard troops to the city under the Mamdani administration.

“We’re actually saying, ‘Vets say no war in our cities.’ So no ICE, no cuts to vital services while we’re increasing spending for militarized police or endless wars abroad,” organizer Thom Keppen said.

Keppen se

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