Rock Hill community members hold ‘No Norman, No Kings’ protest at Fountain Park
At 91-years-old, Larry Marraccini has not let age deter him from joining a good protest.
On Monday, he and some 20 rally goers in Rock Hill gathered outside of Fountain Park, protesting Republican Congressman Ralph Norman and President Donald Trump.
Holding signs and chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” community members from all generations, as part of a weekly protest, came together to advocate for change and voice their concerns with the Trump administration and Norman.
Protesters called out Norman’s actions regarding Medicaid, which is a critical issue for many, because he is advocating for cuts.
They are also unhappy with the Trump administration because of recent ICE raids around the country, and cuts to many federal programs, such as Medicaid and social security staffing.
“I’m 73. I’m weary of this shit. I mean, I don’t want to be doing this,” said local activist Angelique McGowan. “I’d like to be in my retirement and just reading books, but we have to keep it [activism] out in front of people so that when the midterms come, then we’ll amp it up even more and be able to get people to go to the polls and clean out the Congress.”
Protesters held signs that read, “No Kings since 1776,” “The Trump fascist regime must go” and “Our bodies, our minds, our power.”
As the Rock Hill group’s poster craftsman, Marraccini is responsible for a majority of the posters used at each protest, turning his late-night news watching into activism.
“I’m sitting in my chair [watching the news] and I’m making notes on a piece of paper, and when something really tickles my fancy about how terrible Trump and his administration is, I make a poster dealing with that,” said Marraccini.
Some said that this is a fight they have been a part of for years.
“What I’m so sad about is what we did back in the sixties, we did make progress, but it seems like we’re going backwards,” said local activist Margret Parson-Willins.
The recent nationwide movement, the “No Kings” marches that took place on June 14, helped to improve the turnout of the Fountain Park group, which generally draws fewer than 10 people.
“Seeing this turnout is amazing,” said local activist Sarah. “I think people need to see people coming out in their community and just supporting.”
Who is Ralph Norman?
Many were hoping for an appearance by Norman at today’s protest, but he did not attend.
Norman, whose district covers York County and parts of the Upstate, is a member of the Freedom Caucus, which contains some of the most conservative members of Congress, The Herald previously reported.
He’s served South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District since 2017, attracting disapproval from both the left and right-wing voters of South Carolina.
His recent opposition to the Republican Party stems from push back against Trump-supported policies, including the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — a spending and tax bill.
The Post and Courier reported Norman was among four other congressmen opposed to the bill and was quoted as saying, “No bill is better than a bad bill,” said Norman to the Post and Courier.
At the same time, most Democrats in South Carolina are in disagreement with Norman’s recent statements on the changes the House has made to Medicaid.
“South Carolina is doing it right—keeping eligibility tight and focusing on those who need help the most. But our taxpayers are still footing the bill for the waste and abuse happening in other states,” as stated on Norman’s website. “California, for example, uses “provider taxes” to launder fake state dollars into massive federal payouts, then turns around and expands Medicaid to illegal immigrants!!
This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 2:27 PM.
