University students and community members assembled Saturday afternoon in downtown Champaign for an “emergency protest” in support of transgender individuals in the community and the United States.
The event, initially promoted on social media, was attended by numerous organizations from the community and campus, including the Champaign-Urbana Party for Socialism and Liberation, the UIUC Young Democratic Socialists, the UIUC Graduate Employees’ Organization, Free CU, Uniting Pride and the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center.
Martha Mills, a queer, transgender community activist and media liaison for the demonstration, emphasized the goals of the demonstration, particularly creating a public showing in support of transgender people in the community.
“We just want to educate the public and make other queer and trans people know in the community that there is a group here of us and that we’re not going anywhere, and that we’re going to continue to work and protect each other,” Mills said.
The demonstration began at 12:05 p.m., with a brief speech from one of the organizers announcing some of the organizations that were present and outlining the plan for the march. Participants carried signs with various slogans referencing different issues.
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One particularly common theme was the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Many participants wore keffiyehs or carried signs with pro-Palestinian slogans like “Queer as in Free Palestine.”
Other demonstrators carried or wore flags, with two prominently carried on poles. One was a rainbow “Progress Flag,” and the other a red and black diagonal flag, an internationally recognized symbol for anarchism. Organizers also handled noise makers, and at least two demonstrators carried drums of some form.
Speakers made references to the nation’s history of colonialism and slavery, with a particular emphasis on claims of a rise of fascism in the U.S. marked by President Donald Trump’s recent inauguration and the Nazi salute Elon Musk performed at a speech following Trump’s inauguration.
Speakers were particularly critical of Trump’s administration and the support he received from wealthy industry leaders. They also emphasized the failures of local government, particularly the lack of support for homeless individuals in the community.
Following the speeches, the march began at 12:25 p.m., when marchers shut down Walnut Street and proceeded along a planned route. Along the way, the march was met with a swell of support from locals, with cars honking as they passed the demonstration, several people coming outside from local businesses to applaud and cheer on the marchers and, in at least one instance, joining the march along the way.
The march continued around West Side Park, where they took a break to hear more speeches given by speakers from various community organizations, including Justin Michael Hendrix, a candidate for the Champaign Unit 4 School Board.
Following speeches at West Side Park, the march proceeded down University Avenue until returning to its initial starting point at 1:10 p.m. Organizers thanked the attendees and encouraged them to meet one another in the interest of building community.
