Pumpkinfest — what has long been a non-political, family-oriented festival of seasonal fun in midcoast towns of Newcastle and Damariscotta — was nearly up-ended by a radical agenda on Sunday when activists tried to, at the very least, shut down traffic on Main Street, which runs between the towns.
Ironically, but also somewhat typically for midcoast protests, the gesture was dramatically out-of-synch with world events.
Pro-Palestinian advocates briefly raised a wire barrier across the road before local law enforcement swiftly removed the obstacle an arrested one of the demonstrators for blocking a public thoroughfare.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, deputies took Alexandra Welch, 28, into custody for her role in the incident. Welch is reportedly a co-owner of the S. Fernald General Store, proximate to where the incident occurred.
Witnesses say the provocation had been time to coincide with the annual Pumpkin Regatta on the river running below the bridge across which activists sought to block traffic. In other words, they aimed for a moment of maximum exposure.
While Welch and her cohorts were attempting to disrupt the peaceful pumpkin pageantry, envoys of President Donald Trump were finalizing a deal to end hostilities between Israel and Hamas that have flared since the radical Palestinian group attacked a music festival in southern Israel just over two years ago.
Residents have told The Maine Wire that the S. Fernald General Store had become a locus of pro-Palestinian activist in recent weeks, making some distinctly uncomfortable while others questioned the wisdom of the business model of what had previously been seen as a friendly, neighborhood establishment.
“As a Jewish member of the community, I feel genuinely unsafe because of their actions and rhetoric and I sincerely wish they would stop,” one community member who asked not to be named for fear of retribution said. “I can no longer in good conscience support or patronize businesses that display Palestinian flags or are affiliated with this movement – despite having been a loyal customer for many years.”
This individual’s hesitancy to be named is not unusual. No media outlets have reported on the incident, which occurred late Sunday afternoon in plain view of hundreds. Fear of speaking out against the radical activism in this largely liberal community appears to have had a chilling effect.
Some residents; however, were unafraid and discussed boycotting the store on Facebook.
“I find it to be absolutely disgusting that a Damariscotta business owner would participate and/or support any sort of disturbance during a family friendly festival that is attended by thousands of people,” Jen York commented, adding that:
“Deliberately participating in or supporting an act that could have damaged moving vehicles, hurt pedestrians, prevented emergency vehicles from entering or exiting Damariscotta as well snarling up traffic on an already busy day is not only reckless and negligent, but it shows utter disregard for your customers, Pumpkinfest visitors and your fellow business owners who look forward to this festival and the proceeds it bri9ngs in to support small businesses.”
The Maine Wire reached out to the store’s owners for comment on Tuesday afternoon but they had not responded twenty-four hours later.
Residents praised law enforcement for acting swiftly and with low-key professionalism to minimize any disruption to the festival’s activities.
