Hundreds rally in Norwalk to defend Mueller probe

Protesters including Joe and Eileen Carbonara of Fairfield chant as they gather at Norwalk Town Green Thursday, Novemer 8, 2018, in Norwalk, Conn. MoveOn.org organized a nationwide protest against the firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions y President Donald Trump. less Protesters including Joe and Eileen Carbonara of Fairfield chant as they gather at Norwalk Town Green Thursday, Novemer 8, 2018, in Norwalk, Conn. MoveOn.org organized a nationwide protest against the firing of ... more Photo: Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Hundreds rally in Norwalk to defend Mueller probe 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

NORWALK — What began as a show of support for the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election Thursday night at the Norwalk Green devolved for a time into a shouting match with counter-protesters, all amid a heavy police presence.

Hundreds of protesters converged on the Norwalk Green around 5 p.m. as part of nationwide effort, months in the making, to speak out against what some believe is President Donald Trump’s plan to kill Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

The group gathered around the gazebo and chanted “This is what democracy looks like!” “Democracy is not a reality show!” and “Nobody is above the law!”

As the size of the group kept swelling — eventually to 300 or more — the lone officer stationed at the protest called for reinforcements. When a small group of counter-protesters arrived, the language grew heated and all available police units were called to the scene. Police closed a lane in each direction of East Avenue for safety.

The counter-protesters — four men who stood across the road from the gazebo on East Avenue — jeered at the activists and hurled expletives. They waved an American flag and used a traffic cone as a megaphone to chant phrases including “Lock her up!”

The much larger rally on the green crossed the road, interrupting traffic. The two groups stood feet apart as the counter-protesters made sexist and racist comments. Both sides shouted profanities at one another as officers looked on. At one point, a man taking part in the pro-Mueller protest stood alone beside the counter-protesters, with his arm outstretched in their direction and his middle finger raised. A large contingent of pro-Mueller people, still standing on the Green-side of East Avenue, chanted, “Thank you officers!”

Despite the tension, around 5:45 p.m., the demonstration broke up without any violence. Mayor Harry W. Rilling said he asked police to speak with organizers on both sides.

“I told the police department to go to the organizers of each group and say, ‘We’re asking you to disassemble,’” said Rilling, the city’s former police chief. “We’re asking them to just disperse so there will be no problems. But from what I can gather, it’s been peaceful on both sides.”

The protest in Norwalk — one of hundreds held across the country — was put into action after Trump asked for and received the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday, the day after the midterm elections. Trump had repeatedly criticized Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the Mueller investigation.

Trump also named Sessions’ former chief of staff Matthew Whitaker to be the acting attorney general, which raised concerns about possible interference into Mueller’s work. Whitaker has made past statements as a CNN analyst criticizing the Mueller investigation and defending Trump. Multiple press reports Thursday said Whitaker did not plan to recuse himself from oversight of Mueller’s work.

The rally in Norwalk was part of a national effort led by Indivisible, Move On and other activist groups. The groups had been planning for some time to hold simultaneous events if they felt Trump was interfering in the Mueller investigation — by firing Sessions or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who had been overseeing Mueller prior to Whitaker’s appointment.

According to Swomley, there were 900 groups taking part nationally, including 14 in Connecticut. About 300 people also showed up at Town Hall in Greenwich for another protest. Protesters called on residents to call their elected officials, including U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes.

All three have said they support protecting the Mueller investigation.

The first 15 minutes of the protest were without drama. The size of the group slowly grew and with it, the volume of the chants.

Shortly after 5 p.m., Rilling addressed the demonstrators, stating his concern over the ouster of Sessions.

“Vocal opposition is very, very important,” Rilling said. “Groups like this, not only here, but across the state, are critically important.”

Courtney Henry, a Norwalk resident, brought her 11-year-old son to the rally.

“I’m scared of Mueller being fired,” Henry said. “And I want him to know it’s important to use your voice.”

Fiona Hodgson of Westport cancelled other plans to make the protest.

“No one is above the law,” Hodgson said. “I’m really afraid for our democracy at the moment.”

The location of the protest was nearly changed early Thursday after the First Taxing District, which owns the Green, said a permit was required and objected to the demonstration.

Norwalk police officials said it had been in touch with the organizers, members of the advocacy groups MoveOn and TrumpIsNotAboveTheLaw, and that they were looking for a second location.

The protest had been pre-emptively planned many months ago through MoveOn.org, and stipulated that in the event of any signal by Trump to threaten the Mueller investigation, demonstrations would be help nationwide the following day at 5 p.m.

Andrea Chase, a volunteer with MoveOn, said shortly before the rally was to begin that she didn’t have a sense how many people would show up, but that she and other volunteers would try to respect the concerns of the First Taxing District by moving quickly through a protest.

But people turned out in larger and more disruptive numbers than was expected.

Justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586