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Chicago Tribune
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
What happened at ‘No Kings' protests from Chicago to Naperville to Orland Park
The sounds of one of Chicago's largest protests in recent memory reverberated throughout downtown streets Saturday afternoon, as tens of thousands gathered in a united admonishment of President Donald Trump and then marched through the center of the city, pausing in front of the tower bearing his name to direct their ire. Organizers believed the downtown Chicago protest to be one of the largest among the more than 1,500 'No Kings' protests that were scheduled throughout the country. Here's how the 'No Kings' protest unfolded in Chicago — and across several suburbs. In Chicago, those attending the downtown demonstration arrived hours before the noon start time, first packing into Daley Plaza and then filling the streets that border it. Many of them carried signs that lambasted and mocked the president, or ones that defended ideals they believe the Trump administration has forsaken. 'Fascism is bad,' read one of those signs. 'Rise up, fight back,' said others. 'The wannabe king deserves a royal flush,' was written on one poster, near another that read, 'Melt ICE.' Read more here. From immigrant and reproductive rights to DOGE accessing personal data, Sharon Pfister keeps a list of her grievances with Donald Trump's administration on her phone so she can regularly refer back to them. One of her latest concerns was the Saturday military parade in Washington, D.C., to recognize the U.S. Army's 250th birthday, which was being held at the same time that veterans benefits are being cut, said Pfister, a Woodridge resident. The military parade also coincides with Trump's 79th birthday. Despite growing up during the Vietnam War era, Pfister said she had never been to a protest or rally before Trump was elected. But they're more important now than ever, she said while attending the 'No Kings' rally in downtown Naperville. 'I am afraid of our democracy being disembodied little by little,' she said. Read more here. In Geneva, chants of 'No kings in America' and 'This is what democracy looks like' rang out over seemingly supportive, near-constant honks from cars driving by the large protest that stretched across several blocks of Randall Road. Protestors in Geneva, who were lined up along Randall Road from Fabyan Parkway to Fargo Boulevard, held up signs that criticized Trump, compared his administration to authoritarian regimes and celebrated American democracy and diversity, among other things. 'People are mad, and people are ready to speak out,' said Sharon Riggle, who leads Batavia-Aurora Area Indivisible, one of the groups that helped organize the protest in Geneva on Saturday. 'This is bigger than anything we've had before.' Read more here. More than 1,200 people lined La Grange Road near Orland Square. A steady stream of supportive honks from vehicles passing along the busy roadway in Orland Park was the prevailing sound during the peaceful demonstration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. that extended from 147th Street past 149th. Passersby were also subjected to scattered chants, the most popular of which was, 'No Kings, no crowns, we the people won't back down.' Orland Park neighbors passed out U.S. flags and waved flags and signs with messages ranging from 'Free Palestine' to 'Donald Trump is a racist.' Read more here. A former combat soldier and a onetime Republican who got his first job through the late Sen. Robert Dole, R-Kansas, were among more than 8,500 people in Lake County participating in 'No Kings' events protesting the actions of Donald Trump. Holding a sign that read, 'fought for freedom not for a throne' was U.S. Army veteran John McCullough of Grayslake who said he spent six years in the military, including tours of duty in the first Gulf War and on the Demilitarized Zone separating South and North Korea. 'I watched a dictator from a distance,' McCullough said at a rally in Gurnee, referring to the ruler of North Korea. 'We don't need a king whose father paid for him to be a draft dodger. That's not what my brothers and sisters bled and died for.' Read more here. Indivisible NWI organizers in Highland had much to be proud about during the No Kings protest at Indianapolis Boulevard and Ridge Road. With at least 700 people lining three of that intersection's four corners in what had to be the largest protest that area has seen in years, Highland Police, while present, were able to stay largely in the background because protestors were more interested in waving their signs than causing calamity. The group also pulled together a 10-person 'Safety Team' who went around with cold bottled water and snacks for the crowd, Indivisible NWI Organizer Kim Eldridge said. More important than the snacks, however, were the signs Safety Team members held that said 'Stay back. Stay Safe.' They came in handy during a particularly tense moment with some passersby. Read more here.
Chicago Tribune
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Anti-Trump ‘No Kings' protest draws large, peaceful crowd in Geneva: ‘People are mad'
On Saturday in Geneva, chants of 'No kings in America' and 'This is what democracy looks like' rang out over seemingly supportive, near-constant honks from cars driving by the large protest that stretched across several blocks of Randall Road. The peaceful gathering was one of many 'No Kings' protests around the country on Saturday, the same day as the massive military parade honoring the Army's long-planned 250th anniversary celebration that also coincides with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday. Protestors in Geneva, who were lined up along Randall Road from Fabyan Parkway to Fargo Boulevard, held up signs that criticized Trump, compared his administration to authoritarian regimes and celebrated American democracy and diversity, among other things. 'People are mad, and people are ready to speak out,' said Sharon Riggle, who leads Batavia-Aurora Area Indivisible, one of the groups that helped organize the protest in Geneva on Saturday. 'This is bigger than anything we've had before.' The 'No Kings' rallying cry is important, Riggle said, because Trump wants to 'shortcut the system' of constitutional democracy and act like a king, she said. That's 'not acceptable' because the Constitution is the basis of 'everything that we have,' she said. Her family fought to free this country from kings 250 years ago, Riggle said, and 'we're not going back.' Alongside signs about protecting American democracy, protestors also waved American flags, a few of which were being flown upside-down. An American flag flown upside down is often a signal of extreme distress. Riggle, who was dressed up as Uncle Sam, said the American flag iconography was an important part of the protest because the rally was on Flag Day, and the flag is one of the things that best embodies American democracy. Plus, for some, the American flag has been co-opted by elements of the political right who claim they are the only true patriots, according to Riggle. She said that, by flying the American flag at the protest, they are taking it back and saying that true patriots defend the Constitution, obey the rule of law and work to make sure everyone is included and get their fair share. Riggle said Saturday's protest was the best she'd ever been to, was bigger than others she has helped to organize and wouldn't be surprised if over 5,000 came out to the event. Miki Powell, who helped organize the protest as part of We Can Lead Change Fox Valley, estimated the number at 8,000 or 10,000. When asked what she thought brought so many people out to the protest, she simply asked, 'Have you heard the news?' Trump is 'destroying our country,' families, infrastructure, business, everything, Powell said. 'I mean, how much worse can it get in this country?' she said. 'People are angry, and that's why they're here.' Karen Goetze said she attended the protest in Geneva on Saturday because she's against 'just about everything the president is doing currently,' particularly because of what she called attacks on the Constitution but also because of the 'huge attack on the immigrant population.' Two others at the protest, John and Diana Saarima, similarly were attending for a number of reasons. Diana Saarima said it was hard to decide which reasons to put on signs, so they brought multiple. In particular, the couple said they were at the protest because they cared about the Constitution and about veterans. In addition to their protest signs, they also had an American flag. John Saarima said the turnout and emotion at the protest was heartening. With all the protests going on, he hopes the country gets the message, he said. In addition to the protest happening in Geneva, several others were planned across the Chicago area and the state. Yorkville's 'No Kings' protest saw a turnout of about 750 people and was a 'resounding success,' said organizer Ali Castillo. Like in Geneva, Castillo said cars were honking in support of the protest that stretched almost three blocks, and many community members stood up to give remarks. Both protests also brought out elected officials: U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, was seen in Geneva, and Castillo said U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, was in Yorkville.
