Beneath the Civil War memorial at the heart of Park Square, community activist and Pittsfield Public Schools cultural proficiency coach Shirley Edgerton decried the violent assault on the capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump in 2021 before a handful of sign-wielding demonstrators from the Four Freedoms coalition.
“it was horrendous," said Edgerton. "It wasn't another country attacking us. It wasn't an outside organization. It was Americans attacking our congressional home. Americans! How destructive can that be? And the leadership started with the former president. The denial, the divisiveness, the deceit, the lack of integrity.”
Democratic State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier of the 2nd Berkshire District also spoke, urging attendees to continue their defense of democracy in the face of attempts to deny the results of the 2020 election by Republican extremists.
