A contingent of left-wing hecklers banded together to shout at U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) on Tuesday as she headlined a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the reconstruction of Route 1 in downtown Searsport.
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“This long-overdue reconstruction of Route 1 will make downtown Searsport safer and more accessible for drivers and pedestrians alike. I am proud to have secured the funding for this important project that will help continue the growth of the town and benefit its residents, businesses, and visitors for years to come,” said Sen. Collins.
Protesters arrived at the Searsport event carrying a variety of signs, many of which appeared to be homemade. Signs included a range of “No Kings” messages, pro-Palestinian statements such as “Stop arms to Israel,” general criticism of Collins, including “You’re losin’ Susan,” and even a sign for Graham Platner, who is running as a Democrat to unseat Collins.
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One homemade sign urged Collins to “cut billionaires, not ribbons.”
Judy Berk, a protester who appeared to have a hand in organizing the hecklers, posted images and videos of the event on her Facebook page.
A lengthy video posted by Berk shows protesters continually interrupting and shouting at Collins as she tries to celebrate the completion of a municipal project that is sure to benefit the town of Searsport. The project improved pavement, drainage, parking, sidewalks, and various other aspects of the downtown area.
One counter-protester appeared to wave an American flag at the hecklers, urging them to “Respect America, all of you!”
Throughout the event, protesters repeatedly shouted “shame,” accused Collins of being complicit in genocide through her support for Israel, and claimed she voted for cuts to Medicare and Social Security.
Many of them appeared to be under the false impression that Collins voted in favor of President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” spending package, when in reality, she opposed it for the very reasons protesters criticized it.
Collins did cast a procedural vote in favor of allowing the bill to move forward, but hers was not the deciding vote in that case. If she had opposed that vote, the result would have been a tie, which Vice President J.D. Vance would have broken in favor of the bill, as he did during the final enactment vote.
One particularly vocal protester, seemingly unprompted by anything Collins said, appeared to accuse her of “fat shaming,” before immediately accusing Collins of being overweight, which she certainly does not appear to be.
“You gonna fat shame me? You’re not so slim yourself,” said the protester.
Despite the extremely disruptive protesters, Collins maintained her cool throughout the event and repeatedly asked hecklers to be quiet out of respect and courtesy for the town officials celebrating the Searsport project, even if they refused to be civil on her behalf.
“Let us get through this brief ceremony to celebrate something that really matters to this historic community,” Collins asked the protesters.
Attempting to allow the ceremony to continue, Collins promised protesters that if they remained respectful for the remainder of the event, she would stay and speak with them after the ribbon-cutting.
Although a few of the protesters advocated for accepting the offer, the majority continued their shouting and interruptions, eventually culminating in a chant of “shame, shame, shame” as the senator cut the ribbon.
During the brief moments Collins was able to speak, she touted the $9.2 million in funding she worked to secure for the reconstruction project.
“The project planning for our rebuild started twenty-one years ago. Delays, economic downturns and even a pandemic did not stop our determination to see this done. Thank you to the Maine Department of Transportation for assisting us. When the project looked to be delayed again for lack of funds, Senator Collins stepped in to secure the necessary funds to complete it,” said Searsport Town Manager James Gillway.
“She didn’t do it from behind a desk in Washington, she visited us and walked downtown to understand our deteriorated Main Street conditions. Now our town looks fantastic, and the structural improvements will last for decades,” he added.
State Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport), who represents Searsport, also attended the event and celebrated the project on social media as a success for the town.
“I had the opportunity this morning to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Searsport to celebrate the completion of the long-awaited U.S. Route 1 construction project! The new sidewalks, roadways, and signage will make Searsport safer, more enjoyable, and boost economic growth in the area,” said Rep. Paul.
“I want to thank Senator Collins and the new acting Director of the Maine DOT for their assistance on making this project a reality for the people of Searsport,” she added.
