Thousands of demonstrators from the Champaign-Urbana area gathered outside the Champaign County Courthouse in response to a national call for protests against President Donald Trump on Saturday afternoon. Similar demonstrations took place across the country and abroad.
The event, known as “No Kings Day,” was organized as a demonstration against the Trump administration, specifically as a counterprotest to the military parade held in D.C. for the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday — that also coincided with Donald Trump’s 79th.
“People are agitated about the increasing right-wing turn the country is taking under Trump,” said ben wallis, an organizer for the Central Illinois branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. “PSL goes where the people are, and the people are out in the streets today and we’re organizing with them.”
Jeff Dougan, an organizer for Champaign county’s chapter of Indivisible, a progressive network organizing for democracy, said they were protesting the Trump administration for “increasingly acting in the manner of would-be authoritarian regimes throughout the world.”
The event officially kicked off at 4 p.m. with a brief introduction from the emcee and continued with a series of speeches, including one from Urbana mayor DeShawn Williams, who led a chant of “No Kings!”
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“Today is about the rejection of tyranny in all forms,” Williams said. “It’s about saying no more kings, no more unchecked power … So today, let us walk side by side — no kings, no masters, just people staying and standing together, standing for truth. I want us to remain peaceful today but most importantly remain safe.”
A speaker representing UC Jews for Ceasefire led a chant of “free Palestine” and condemned what they described as Israel’s “genocidal destruction of Gaza.”
Immediately after, a speaker who said they were from CU for Palestine criticized the Trump administration for “abducting people” who spoke out in favor of Palestinian rights as well as for their “continued support” for Israel’s army.
Out of earshot of the speakers, demonstrators filled the entire block of Main Street in front of the courthouse. Crowds spilled across to the opposite side of the street, into the intersections at Vine Street and Broadway Avenue and into the courthouse parking lot.
Demonstrators carried signs and waved flags, and several appeared in costume including a Burger King mascot and colonial soldier, tricorn hat included. One could be seen with a Donald Trump effigy.
Among the many flags were various flags — pride, Ukrainian, Palestinian, Mexican and numerous American flags, including one with “NO KINGS” written on it in black and gold spray paint. Many were flown upside down.
Dougan said organizing the event took a substantial amount of work, requiring multiple planning sessions and coordination among co-sponsors.
“It’s been, in some ways, almost a second full-time job,” Dougan said. “Between the committee planning for getting things going, reaching out to coordinate with speakers, getting signs made for people who may not have brought them and (more).”
Throughout the protest, demonstrators danced in the streets and cheered as cars honked their horns, waved flags and yelled support. Later on, a truck would join the demonstration and let protesters ride in its bed.
Around 5:00 p.m., a small handful of protesters began marching down Main Street, past the courthouse towards Broadway Avenue. The rally became a march as the crowd began to walk en-masse.
Turning right down Race Street, the march began to widen, occupying the entire street. The crowd cheered “Whose streets? Our streets!” as they made their way down the road. One protestor performed tunes on a trumpet while others banged their drums.
The march continued until it reached East University Avenue, where it turned right again. It proceeded onward, making another right onto Vine Street, then circled around the back of the courthouse before returning to the front, where it had started.
