Activists from Indivisible Brooklyn and Rise and Resist rallied at Grand Army Plaza in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling, which granted former President Donald Trump — and future presidents — immunity from prosecution for official actions taken while in office. The ruling, decided by a 6-3 vote, sparked concerns over the implications for American democracy, leading protesters to demand urgent reforms.
Originally, the protest was planned to take place outside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s residence in Park Slope. However, NYPD barricades blocked access to the area, forcing the demonstrators to relocate to nearby Grand Army Plaza. Despite the change in location, close to 30 activists gathered to voice their frustration, calling for an expansion of the Supreme Court as a necessary step to safeguard democratic principles.
The protesters, led by members of Indivisible Brooklyn, framed the ruling as part of a broader threat to democracy. They argued that the only way to counterbalance the conservative majority on the Court was by increasing the number of justices. They urged Schumer to support the Judiciary Act (H.R. 3422), a bill that would expand the Supreme Court from nine to 13 judges, with the goal of restoring checks on executive power and preserving constitutional rights.
The rally took place against the backdrop of growing discontent over the Court’s recent decisions. In addition to granting immunity to presidents for actions taken while in office, the Court overturned the Chevron doctrine, a 40-year-old legal principle that granted federal agencies the authority to interpret ambiguous laws related to their respective fields. This decision severely limits the regulatory power of agencies responsible for overseeing issues like environmental protection, worker safety, and public health.
Activists described the six conservative justices as ideological radicals who are dismantling the separation of powers by undermining the role of federal agencies. They characterized the Court’s actions as a “judicial coup,” designed to shift power away from experts and toward a small group of unelected judges.
At the rally, participants connected the Court’s rulings to a broader conservative agenda, including the so-called “Project 2025,” a plan outlined by the Heritage Foundation, which details the policies conservatives hope to implement if Trump returns to power. Protesters warned that this agenda is hostile to marginalized groups, including women, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community, and threatens core democratic freedoms like the right to protest and free speech.
Amid these warnings, activists read excerpts from Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissenting opinion on the immunity ruling, underscoring her concern that the decision undermines the fundamental principle that no one, not even the president, is above the law. This, they argued, represents a dangerous shift in the balance of power within the government.
Many protesters cited past events as contributing to the current crisis, pointing to Senate Republicans’ obstruction of Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court nomination in 2016 as a pivotal moment in cementing the conservative tilt of the judiciary. The activists expressed fears that the Court is on a trajectory that will give future presidents near-monarchical powers if unchecked.
While Schumer’s office did not issue an immediate response, activists continue to push for a clear stance from him on the issue of court expansion. They argue that Schumer, as one of the country’s most powerful lawmakers, must show leadership in preventing further erosion of democratic norms and legal accountability.