Tens of thousands rally in Chicago "No Kings" protest at Daley Plaza, and march through downtown
Tens of thousands of people filled Daley Plaza and marched through downtown Chicago on Saturday for a "No Kings" protest against President Trump's policies.
The Loop was packed for hours with people fired up and angry with the Trump administration and their handling of ICE and deportations.
All day, the main emphasis from organizers was to keep the protest peaceful, but use their voice to practice their First Amendment rights.
Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling estimated 15,000 people took part in the protest. Organizers estimated the crowd at 75,000 people.
Multiple similar rallies were held across the country. The official No Kings website states that "No Kings" protests are intended to be a "nationwide day of defiance."
"We're taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like. On June 14th, we're standing together to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings," the group states online.
The Daley Plaza rally was organized by Indivisible Chicago and the ACLU. Speakers included prominent Illinois Democratic politicians, including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, who said President Trump is ruling like a king.
"There are troops in our cities, and ICE in our schools. There's a military parade in our nation's capital today, costing taxpayers $45 million," Garcia said.
"I see a country which decided in 1776: no more kings in America. We the people govern, not the kings. We the people govern," Durbin said.
That rally at Daley Plaza lasted an hour before organizers directed people to start marching here along Dearborn Street to Wacker Drive, walking past Trump Tower.
It was a long day for demonstrators, who marched about for about three hours through the Loop.
More than 500 police officers were seen monitoring the protest on bikes and on foot, and security experts said many more were in the crowd undercover.
The rally and march remained peaceful throughout the afternoon as protesters spent about three hours marching from Daley Plaza to Wacker Drive past Trump Tower, down Michigan Avenue, and back to Daley Plaza.
"Obviously, a lot of people have been saying that there's been lot of riots. You can see, take a look around, there is none of that," Rickey Hendon Jr. said. "People have been very peaceful, and it's been beautiful. There's a lot of unity."
Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said police communicated with organizers before and during the rally to help ensure the event remained peaceful.
No matter where you stood, there was a massive show of force by those exercising their right to peacefully protest, like Chantal Chacon and her family protesting ICE.
"Today, I'm speaking out for those who feel they can't, for those people who have to stay at home out of fear. I'm speaking for those people. I'm speaking for my family. I'm speaking for the people who deserve to have a voice, but feel like they can't," Chacon said. "Everyone deserves to be here, everyone deserves a voice, and at the end of the day, we are the land of opportunity"
While those on the ground tried to be part of history, many came from all over the Chicago area. Chacon came to Daley Plaza from west suburban Berwyn. Many who joined the rally and march said they felt like it was a well-run event, and safe.
Once the event ended, a few hundred protestors refused to leave Daley Plaza. They were determined to get through a police wall of hundreds of officers, but eventually left.
Snelling said, while police formed a line blocking the protesters from walking east on Washington Street toward State Street and Michigan Avenue those protesters could have left the area anytime they wanted.
"We gave them a route to leave, multiple routes. So no one was trapped in there. They could have left whenever they felt like it. However, the protest permit came to an end, and we had to stop them here so that we are not following individuals around and making the streets more dangerous for motorists throughout the night," Snelling said.
Police said one person was arrested for assault of a police officer during the protest. They were taken into custody, but no further details were immediately available.
"No Kings" protests in Chicago area
Around 1,800 protests were planned across the country for Saturday, including dozens of "No Kings" protests in the Chicago suburbs; including in Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Oak Park, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Palatine, Evanston, Bartlett, Highland Park, Elgin, Naperville, Lisle and more.
There were also other, smaller events planned in the city of Chicago itself. A senior event was scheduled in the city's Edgewater neighborhood, and a family-friendly Chalk the Walk pre-protest gathering was planned on the Northwest Side to make signs, draw chalk art and engage in community building activities for all ages.
In April, tens of thousands of people filled up Daley Plaza and shut down city streets for an anti-Trump protest organized by the 50501 movement, which stands for "50 states, 50 protests, 1 movement."
"This is very personal to me, for my community, for all the people that are impacted," said Betty Alzamora, a board member of Indivisible Chicago, which is helping plan the "No Kings" protest in Chicago.
"Legitimately, people want to be able to take to the streets to voice their anger, their rage," Alzamora added.
Millions of people turned out for hundreds of similar demonstrations in all 50 states, and even overseas.
Security preparations for "No Kings" protest in the Loop
Several businesses on State Street were seen boarding up their windows on Friday afternoon in case the "No Kings" protest and march in downtown Chicago turn into riots and looting.
But Denise Poloyac, vice chair of Indivisible Chicago, one of the groups organizing the protest in the Loop, said the goal is to keep it calm.
"We are committed to a peaceful protest, but we are also very angry," she said. "We have trained and have volunteer marshals – safety marshals – that work with Indivisible Chicago, and will be out there with yellow vests tomorrow to try to isolate and deescalate any concerns or things that might happen."
She also said the group has discussed safety and security with city officials, although she did not specify which specific city departments they have coordinated with.
"We've had what communications with the city we felt were appropriate to ensure that this will be safe tomorrow," she said.
Former Chicago Police First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio said it's to everyone's advantage for organizers to have conversations in advance with police.
"But there are times, and I understand from the last protest a couple days ago, the organizers refuse to meet with police leadership," Riccio said.
The Chicago Police Department has canceled officers' days off this weekend in preparation for the "No Kings" protest and other major events across the city.
Riccio said some officers will work this weekend to quickly identify protestors aiming to cause trouble before anything escalates. He said police will be out on bikes, foot, and undercover.
"When I say they're undercover, these guys are good. Some are bearded, ponytails, dressed like other people in the crowds," he said.
Former Office of Emergency Management and Communications director Rich Guidice said he's "confident that our Chicagoans will behave responsibly."
As head of OEMC for four years, Guidice oversaw the city's public safety operations for scores of major events.
While the city has not yet announced street closures or detours for the "No Kings" protest, Guidice said he's certain they have a plan.
"There's probably been numerous meetings that have already taken place regarding just tomorrow's protest," he said.
Protest organizers said car traffic near Daley Plaza will be limited, so mass transit is the best option for anyone going downtown.
CTA officials said they have no planned service changes for Saturday, but during a large protest downtown on Tuesday, the agency had to suspend bus service downtown for a while.
Other protests held in Chicago ahead of Saturday
On Tuesday, organizers continued to gather at Immigration Court, which was reportedly set to close early for the day as some protesters had been a near constant presence. Meanwhile in that court, Ramón Morales Reyes — a Mexican national who has lived in Wisconsin for 20 years — was released on bond.
Morales Reyes was accused of a writing a letter threatening Mr. Trump in a blistering social media post by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The post includes Morales Reyes' photo and an excerpt from the letter he purportedly wrote in English. But the claims quickly fell apart as Wisconsin authorities determined that Reyes, who doesn't speak English well or write in the language, was framed.
The immigrant from Mexico was a victim in a violent 2023 attack where his bike was stolen. According to authorities, the alleged attacker, 52-year-old Demetric D. Scott, forged the letter to try to clear his case. Morales Reyes was set to be a witness in Scott's July trial for armed robbery and aggravated battery.
Judge Carla Espinoza ruled that Morales Reyes was not a danger to the community after she determined he was the victim of an alleged setup.
On Tuesday evening, a protest was held in Federal Plaza, followed by a march through downtown streets that sometimes culminated in clashes with police. Thousands of people took part in the march.
Meanwhile, a car sped through the crowd early in the march. The maroon sedan narrowly missed demonstrators.
But the car did not deter demonstrators, who kept marching and holding signs. Chicago police were out in the force monitoring the group on both the ground and in the air by helicopter, but the crowd grew larger and larger as it zigzagged through downtown.
Along State Street in the Loop, several Chicago police squad cars were defaced with anti-police graffiti. Several people were also arrested during skirmishes with police at various points through the evening.
