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Chicago Tribune
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
At rally in St. Charles, protestors decry Trump policies, show support for Ukraine
A crowd of protestors in St. Charles Saturday gathered to express their concerns with various recent actions of the Trump administration, including the contentious meeting Friday between the president and the leader of Ukraine. The rally along South Randall Road drew a few hundred protestors. At the rally, Karen Sherman of Elgin described current events in the world as 'insanity.' 'After yesterday, I just can't let it go anymore,' she said, referring to the heated exchange between President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. Trump berated Zelenskyy for being 'disrespectful' Friday in an Oval Office meeting, then abruptly called off the signing of a minerals deal that Trump said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending its war with Russia, the Associated Press reported. The protest rally Saturday in St. Charles was led by the Fox Valley-based group We Can Lead Change. Gina Burbsch of St. Charles said the rally was planned before Friday's events with the Ukrainian leader at the White House, but said that 'what happened there with Trump just fanned the flames.' 'We have had this planned for a bit, but yes, with the show that happened in the Oval Office yesterday, we really knew that people were going to come out for this today,' Burbsch said on Saturday. 'People are mad, people are angry and they need to be here. We have over 300 people here and this is one of the biggest turnouts we've ever had.' Burbsch said that protests can make a difference. 'People need to see there are other people that believe like they believe and that their feelings are real, that this is something we have to stop as people in this country,' she said. 'We cannot let this happen. We're really seeing a lot of emotions and fury, and having something like this is really good for people.' Sue Sanders of St. Charles said she has been a member of the We Can Lead Change group since its inception and that Saturday's event 'may be the most intense' she has seen. 'After the event yesterday in the Oval Office, I think people … I met someone who has never been out here before and she cried on my shoulder,' Sanders said. 'She said 'I just needed something.'' Gary Crouse, from Elgin, said it was important for him to support the protest 'because I defended this country for six years in the United States Navy.' 'Russia has always been our enemy. I can't believe my president is prostrating himself in front of a country that has thousands of nuclear warheads pointed at every one of our cities,' he said. Gordon Koizmi of Batavia said he was a member of the We Can Lead Change group and that he 'had lost count' when it comes to estimating how many protests he has attended. 'Some may say the events in the White House yesterday were the last straw, but I think they reached that point a long time ago,' Gordon said. 'Certainly, with the inauguration, things have been going downhill.'
CBS News
02-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Chicagoans rally in support of Ukraine after Trump-Zelenskyy clash in Oval Office
Dozens of people gathered in front of the Wrigley Building in downtown Chicago on Saturday for a "Russia against Putin" rally. Many in attendance were Russian human rights activists in exile, or members of Chicago's Russian immigrant community. They said Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime is abusing human rights by forcefully cracking down on any opposition to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Organizers said the event is part of a series of similar rallies going on throughout the world. Meanwhile, in west suburban Saint Charles, about 300 people attended a rally to support Ukraine. The rally was organized by the group We Can Lead Change - Fox Valley. The organization said their goal is to fight for democracy. Along with pro-Ukraine signs, many at Saturday's rally had signs showing opposition to President Trump and billionaire senior adviser Elon Musk. The rallies come a day after a shouting match between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, in the final minutes of an Oval Office meeting. The dustup seemed to dash, at least for now, Ukrainian hopes that the United States could be locked in as a reliable partner in helping end the war that Russia started three years ago. President Trump threatened Zelenskyy during the meeting to make a deal with Russia or "we're out," and Vice President JD Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of being "disrespectful." Zelenskyy kept an even tone throughout the entire exchange, even as Mr. Trump and Vance at times raised their voices. After the fiery meeting, National security adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio asked Zelenskyy and Ukrainian officials to leave the White House. European officials have rallied around Zelenskyy amid fallout from the combative meeting, as the Ukrainian leader arrived in London on Saturday for a summit organized by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
