'Save St. Patrick's Day' Rallies Planned For Long Island

LONG ISLAND, NY— Organizers of the Long Island MAGA caravans in support of Donald Trump will gather again this weekend for two events aimed, they say, at saving St. Patrick's Day from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's cancellations of annual parades due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The "NoFo Shenanigans Run," organized by Shawn Farash and Vinny Tirelli, begins at the former Walmart parking lot, located at 765 Old Country Road at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

"Everyone come celebrate St.Patrick’s Day. Dress your vehicle with Irish glory — we will have our parade!" organizers said.

Those participating will leave the lot around noon and head along Route 25 to Greenport and back on Sound Avenue and then end in South Jamesport.

On Sunday, a "Save St. Patrick's Day" parade begins at the Merrick Long Island Rail Road train station at 10 a.m, then heads to Eisenhower Park.

According to Farash, who was recognized by Trump for his rallies, including an event out to Montauk that drew thousands, the weekend's events were organized to protest Cuomo, who "essentially canceled St. Patrick's Day events over the past two years."

New Yorkers, Farash said, "have been through a lot over the last 360 days —since the '15 days to slow the spread' started — and we are realizing that the man responsible for so much of New York's hardships is not fit to lead, nor is he fit to encourage his constituents to 'follow the science' when several of his decisions, especially with regards to nursing homes, have clashed with scientific data, resulting in tragic losses among our state's elderly population."

Farash and those participating said they want to continue to spread the word to Cuomo and that nation that "our elected officials are elected to serve the people, not dictate how we the people live."

Many traditions have been canceled in New York and across the nation due to the pandemic, Farash said. "We believe that by staying active and keeping these traditions alive, through events like the rallies that we've hosted since September, that we can protect, preserve, and defend our rights that are outlined and protected by the Constitution."

Tirelli added that people are also invited to celebrate on the sidelines of both events.