Thousands gathered in Chicago’s Daley Plaza as part of the nationwide “No Kings” protests opposing Donald Trump’s policies. Federal lawmakers, activists, and union leaders called for renewed civic engagement and resistance to authoritarianism (Photo Credit: Tacuma Roeback)..
Organizers reported that one million nationwide participated in the “No Kings” protests against President Trump and his administration’s policies. Thousands participated in the Chicago rally, a multi-racial, multi-ethnic demonstration, where federal lawmakers, union leaders and activists came together to ignite the crowd at Daley Plaza.
“It is our time to stand up and say to the world that the United States of America will never be an autocracy, never be an oligarchy, never be beholden to one man,” shouted Barbara R. Arnwine of the Transformative Justice Coalition, from a lectern adorned with the slogan “Americans Against Oligarchy.”
Many of the protestors, who gathered at Daley Plaza and along West Randolph and the adjacent North Clark and North Dearborn Streets, carried signs and posters with pithy slogans, putdowns and caricatures of the 47th President. According to organizers, as many as 75,000 participated in the Chicago protests, while Police Supt. Larry Snelling reported that number at 15,000, along with 500 police officers on duty.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, and Rev. Dr. Janette Wilson of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition all addressed the crowd, all speaking about what carrying the momentum could look like after Saturday’s protests.
“We must renew voter registration, voter engagement, voter turnout in the midterm and next year,” said Wilson, to the roaring crowd. “We must turn the Congress around. We must turn the Senate around. We have the power, and you have the faith. We cannot give up now.”
After the rally at Daley Plaza, the crowd marched through downtown Chicago; some went down North Dearborn, and others went along Randolph to State Street. Some “No Kings” rallies had episodes of violence: in Salt Lake City, an “innocent bystander” was killed by gunfire, and in Culpeper, Virginia, a man was allegedly arrested for intentionally driving an SUV into protestors.
There were also reports of clashes between protestors and police at the Los Angeles rally.
In Chicago, Police Supt. Larry Snelling reported the arrest of an individual for striking a police officer. The officer was not injured. But 11 more people were cited after the protest.
Below are more photos from Saturday’s “No Kings” protests:
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