The “No Kings” rally held outside of Highland Park City Hall on June 14 gathered 3,000 for a peaceful protest on Saturday, organizers said.
Lauren Beth Gash, chair, Lake County Democrats, says momentum and numbers are growing across the country for standing up to President Trump, and the local response in Lake County is no exception.
“Concerned people are fed up and alarmed on a daily, hourly basis, which prompts them to want to participate,” Gash said.
According to Gash, numbers have been growing in protests and demonstrations co-sponsored by the Lake County Democrats since February, drawing participants from the 17 townships in Lake and northern Cook Counties.
Highland Park’s 11 a.m. rally was part of the national day of action, and in Lake County, Illinois, it was one of three anti-Trump demonstrations with others in Gurnee and Buffalo Grove.
“In this country, we don’t have kings, so we need to stand in unity, and do all we can do to protect our democracy,” Gash added.
The Highland Park ‘No Kings’ rally was hosted by the Lake County Democrats with co-sponsoring organizations like Indivisible, Resist, Persist & Insist, Warren Township Democrats, Moraine Township Democrats and others also taking part.
“Instead of being a dictator, Trump should be working to do the things he promised during the election – working towards peace in the Middle East, ending the war in Russia, protecting social security, instead of hurting our veterans and tanking our economy,” Gash said.
Protesters held signs reading, ‘No Thrones, No Crowns, No Kings,’ ‘Immigrants Built This Country,’ ‘Save our Democracy,’ and ‘What’s the matter, didn’t your mommy ever throw you a Birthday Party?’
The Highland Park event featured speakers, including rally co-host and Highland Park resident and climate change activist Anita Goldberg, State Representative Bob Morgan for Highland Park, and Colleen Connell, executive director of ACLU Illinois.
“This is a choice and we will fight for our freedom, showing up is the first step,” Morgan said.
Morgan led the crowd in a chant, “Washington D.C. won’t silence our voices, hell no.”
Connell addressed the crowd, saying, no man or person is above the law, and without the rule of law, no one is safe, and there can only be chaos in a world where might makes right.
“If we are silenced into submission, we are doomed, and there are more of us than there are of them,” Connell said.
Goldberg offered gratitude to Representative Bob Morgan, Mayor Nancy Rotering, and Gov. JB Pritzker for the work they do every day.
Mandy Gries of Wheeling participated in Saturday’s protest.
“After days that have been so disheartening, today brings hope, to see that others care and that we are not alone, but in this together,” Gries said.
Gina Grillo is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
