Tea Party Supporters Hold Tax Day Protest Behind the Federal Building in Rochester

By Peter Iglinski

Rochester, NY – Tea Party supporters turned out en masse for a protest in downtown Rochester Thursday on tax day.

Several hundred people spent their lunch hour behind the federal building. There were signs calling for lower taxes, spending cuts, and an end to the Federal Reserve; others questioned Barack Obama's place of birth and likened the president to Adolf Hitler.

The speakers of the day stuck to conservative themes--speaking out against taxes and large government. Organizer Mike Deming told the crowd he's concerned by--what he sees as--a "headlong rush into centralized government."

Deming says people should not be fooled by partisanship. He says both major parties have been guilty of treasonous behavior.

The crowd cheered when speakers criticized the belief in global warming and called for upstate New York to become the 51st state.