Pro-Ukrainian Protest at the historic Castillo De San Marco National Monument

By Kaia Wright

The St. Johns County Democratics organization held a protest in front of the historic Castillo De San Marcos fort in downtown St. Augustine on Wednesday, March 26 to show their support and solidarity for Ukraine. 

This comes shortly after the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Crimea in Ukraine, and also in reaction to President Trump’s contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February of this year. 

The protesters displayed pro-Ukrainian signs and flags, anti-Trump and anti-Elon Musk signs, American flags, and t-shirts with messages rallying against the current administration’s relationship with Russia.

Paul Kolakowski, who is a retired military veteran of Ukrainian descent, came to the protest to show his support for peace, while expressing his frustrations with the current state of affairs. 

“I would love to see the people of my country have peace, and I don’t see that happening quickly right now. We can’t give away too much to Russia. They started the war and they need to pay for the damages,” Kolakowski said. 

Kolakowski explained his distrust of the current president and his ability to make decisions for the country. 

“[President Trump] seems to shoot from the hip, and you can’t make political and geopolitical decisions just from a gut feeling. You really have to understand the nuances and the details of what’s happening to make an educated choice,” Kolakowaski said. 

Yet Kolakowaski was not alone in this feeling. Another protester, Nell Toensmann, current President of the St. Augustine Democrats Club, had similar feelings on the situation.

“The president just seems to think he can just change any and every law, and now he wants to deport all of the people here that are in protected status,” Toensmann said. 

Nell Toensmann, pictured above on the right, stands firmly with other protestors. She was protesting for social security, which she and her husband rely on.

A group of around 200 protestors (as estimated by Susan Horowitz) participated at the Fort as passers by beeped their horns and cheered in support. 

People came from all over St. Johns country and St. Augustine to participate. One woman, Barbra Paynter, was very vocal about her stance with the current administration. 

“He’s just tearing America down and he’s turning it into a dictatorship right in front of our eyes,” Paynter said when asked why she was protesting. “The goal is for people to realize there are democrats in St. Augustine, that we are alive and well and we are mad.”

Pictured above, Barbara Paynter shows her support as not just a citizen but as a grandmother. Paynter was going around to other attendees allowing them to use her sign displaying the importance of not remaining silent and taking photos of the community.

“They need to come out and protest because being quiet means you are okay with it, and we’re trying to get people to say, ‘Come out here and voice your concerns,’” Paynter said.

The protest was met with much positivity from the community, with people walking and driving by cheering in support. Yet a group of Pro-Trump protesters did attend the protest, arguing with other attendees. They waved flags in favor of the president and made their case of why they support him. Despite disagreeing on politics, the protest remained peaceful. 

Pictured above, two men discuss their opinions on the streets of St. Augustine during the Pro-Ukraine protest. Though these two men were displaying two different opinions, but the conversation remained peaceful.

Protestors pump their fists in joy as cars continue to honk in support of their efforts. Even as the protest was concluding, many people continued to cheer and chant for the protesters.