Protest At Gov. Cuomo Fundraiser At Home Of Billionaire

Highway Behind the Pond in East Hampton was the scene of a large gathering on Saturday as hundreds of protesters were dropped off in busloads from New York City in an attempt to crash what was said to be a $5,000-a-plate fundraiser for Governor Andrew Cuomo at the lavish home of billionaire hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb.

The Hedge Clippers, a group critical of the way money and politics collide, was joined for the protest by other progressive organizations, including Strong Economy for All Coalition, New York Communities for Change, Alliance for Quality Education, VOCAL-NY and Long Island Progressive Action Coalition. 

“This is what democracy looks like” and “Governor Cuomo, we’ll be back,” the protesters chanted as they marched down the tony street holding banners and signs, one depicting the Governor with dollar signs in his eyes. 

Mr. Loeb, whose home is located at number 75 in the exclusive neighborhood of Highway Behind the Pond, manages the Manhattan-based Third Point, LLC, a company said to be worth $14 billion.

The Hedge Clippers, a group that opposes charter schools and supports unions, has been leading protests much like those of the recent Occupy Wall Street movement and has accused Mr. Cuomo and other high profile politicians of “doing the bidding of billionaires,” according to a release the group sent out on Friday. 

East Hampton Village Police used crowd control measures to limit access to Highway Behind the Pond. The road was blocked off until the protest ended at around 8 p.m.