DOWNTOWN — A protest of President Donald Trump and his administration is set for Saturday afternoon Downtown, the latest in this week’s flurry of anti-Trump activity in Chicago and across the United States.
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The
No Kings march and rally is noon-2 p.m. Saturday at Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St. The Chicago event is
one of hundreds of similar protests taking place nationwide on Saturday, including in Evanston, Oak Park, La Grange and other suburbs. The event is being organized by
Indivisible Chicago and numerous local political groups, unions and other organizations. “No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance. We’re taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like,” organizers wrote on the march’s website. “On June 14th, we’re standing together to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.” Saturday’s rally comes a few days after
thousands of Chicagoans took to the streets Tuesday to protest against recent Immigration and Custom Enforcement raids locally and across the country. Organizers said Tuesday’s marches were a show of solidarity with Los Angeles,
where thousands of National Guard troops and Marines were deployed and a curfew was set after protests erupted there following immigration raids — and to protest similar tactics used by federal agencies in Chicago.
At least 10 people were arrested by ICE at check-ins under a monitoring program for immigrants last week in Chicago’s South Loop.
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Police said that 17 people were
arrested during Tuesday protests in Chicago , including four on felony charges — which include aggravated battery and criminal damage to government property. Some vandalism to police cars and other property was visible during the demonstration, although the march remained mostly peaceful. During a press briefing Wednesday, Mayor Brandon Johnson pledged Chicago police officers would protect the First Amendment rights of protestors Saturday and beyond, while also making sure the city continues to run as normal — citing last year’s Democratic National Convention as a successful precedent. Johnson also lambasted Trump, who he called a “tyrant in the White House” while condemning ICE raids and deportation arrests. “You got to be really sick, sick and demented to do this to people,” Johnson said. “This president’s reckless behavior, I didn’t know you could look worse than [Alabama segregationist Gov.] George Wallace.” The No Kings organizers are urging participants to remain non-violent and peaceful during Saturday’s protest. The event is coinciding with
Trump’s planned military parade in Washington, D.C. , which is expected to see thousands of troops march through the nation’s capital on his birthday and
cost taxpayers up to $45 million. Meanwhile, Chicago leaders said they are
bracing for an influx of federal agents to be deployed to Chicago for immigration raids. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Johnson’s chief of staff, said Wednesday that city officials have been told federal agents received notice a day earlier that they had 48 hours to deploy to five Democratically-led cities, including Chicago. Pacione-Zayas said the tactical teams will be “targeting workplaces in terms of the raids.” Pacione-Zayas also suggested Chicago could see a similar law enforcement and military presence as has been used in Los Angeles for much of the past week. “We’ve seen how they’ve shown up in LA with the mini tanks, with arms, with also chemical agents, we have seen them in full riot gear, we have seen them fully concealed,” Pacione-Zayas said. A separate
anti-ICE rally and protest organized by local advocacy groups is planned for 4 p.m. Thursday Downtown.
