Darien, CT – June 14, 2025 — Nearly 100 residents gathered at Tilley Pond Park Saturday for “Stand Up for the Constitution,” a civic protest and public reading organized by the Darien Democratic Town Committee. It was both a celebration of American democracy and a pointed protest against the mounting threats posed by current administration’s anti-democratic agenda.
The morning began with rain but nonetheless had a poignant start: a local middle school student recited the preamble to the Constitution — “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…” — capturing the spirit of the day and setting the stage for a rally in defense of the nation’s founding principles.
Pocket-sized copies of the U.S. Constitution were distributed as community members and guest speakers read aloud from some of its most vital and timely sections. The event included speeches by Connecticut State Senators Bob Duff and Pat Billie Miller, who addressed the urgent need to resist authoritarianism and preserve the democratic values that generations of Americans have fought and died to protect.
Senator Duff invoked the memory of World War II veterans, many of whom are no longer with us, as a moral call to action. “We have to remember the sacrifices that were made for our freedom, which is why we have to double down right now — at this very moment,” he said.
Senator Miller echoed these themes, warning of the ongoing democratic backsliding seen in political violence, election denialism, and the normalization of authoritarian rhetoric by the Trump administration.
The Darien event served as a local prelude to the national “No Kings” protest, held the same day in Stamford and across the country — a coordinated grassroots effort to reject strongman rule versus rule of law and to reaffirm Americans commitment to the fundamental American principle that no one is above the law.
“This wasn’t just a reading — it was a gathering of like-minded concerned citizens,” said Rob Richards, Chair of the Darien Democratic Town Committee. “We’re not just honoring the Constitution; we’re defending it — for our veterans, for our children, and for the future of our democracy. And we welcome everyone that is committed to defending our Constitution, to join us.”