Several hundred protestors in Bloomington joined the nearly 2,000 No Kings protests across the country Saturday. Demonstrators lined both sides of North East Street in Bloomington from West Locust Street to East Market Street, and on the lawn of the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.
The grassroots movement protests President Donald Trump, his recent policies and the military parade in Washington, D.C. Protestors held signs with subjects ranging from Trump himself, to his onetime political allies like Elon Musk and his administration.
The No Kings demonstrations were put together by a coalition of more than 200 organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers and the Communications Workers of America.
Nancy Simms, of Bloomington, was one of the demonstrators in Bloomington.
She sported her “Hands Off” baseball cap, a nod to a previous nationwide protest movement, also against Trump. She said it was important for her to show up because like the name of the protest, she said Trump is acting like a king.
“This is not a kingship, his powers need to be curtailed, he’s doing illegal things and needs to be held accountable, and it needs to end,” she said, citing his sending the National Guard into LA without the request of California's governor, and his own criminal conviction in a New York case. "I mean, who knew that we’d have to have a law for the president to not be a felon?”
Bryan Greenberg, of Normal, also attended the protest. He was carrying a sign with Trump dressed as a clown.
Greenberg said he is a big supporter of any protest that is peaceful, which brought him out for the No Kings protest.
“I think it’s just always a great thing to exercise your rights, I think our rights are definitely under attack more than ever with this year and with the past two administrations under Trump,” he said. “It’s great to see the community out here. There’s tons of different messages but everyone’s united under this message of resistance and standing up for what we believe in.”
Greenberg said his most important belief concerning Trump was his progressive nature, always seeking what is better for his community and country.
“I’ve always been hungry for a lot of change and better things like more housing, more health care, putting more into domestic causes, supporting our communities,” he said.
Greenberg said it is a critical time in the country to stand up and visualize how many people are unsupportive of current policies.
On June 7, Trump authorized the California National Guard and soon after deployed approximately 700 United States Marines to Los Angeles, in response to immigration protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE]. He did so against the wishes of Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Simms said the actions were ridiculous. On the possibility similar protests or violence could come to Bloomington-Normal, Simms wasn’t convinced it would happen in the Twin Cities. However, she still had concerns about them happening nearby.
“I don’t see it happening in Bloomington-Normal, but I do see it happening in other large metropolitan areas,” she said. “That’s scary. I have loved ones in those areas and it’s just not right and it’s abuse of power, and it needs to be stopped.”
Greenberg shared similar concerns. He said the National Guard and Marines detaining citizens is unprecedented and he thinks Bloomington-Normal’s reaction to it at home would not be positive.
“It’s a grotesque escalation of inflating the police and the military; nobody wants to see that,” he said. “I think people would be horrified here to see that the military and police departments were working with ICE, were working with national guard. Those are institutions meant to protect and serve and they’re absolutely being weaponized and hunting people rather serving them.”
Under the Illinois Trust Act, signed in 2017, local law enforcement are limited in how they are able to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Conversely, the Posse Comitatus Act restricts use of the U.S. military as a domestic police force.
According to the No Kings website, choosing June 14 was no coincidence. Protestors believe Trump putting on a military parade for the United States Army’s 250th birthday, on the same day as his 79th birthday, required action.
Simms agreed, saying it was a waste of money. The parade is estimated to cost taxpayers as much as $45 million.
“I think that money could be used for the [Department of Veterans Affairs]. I think that money could be used in so other ways than to celebrate his birthday,” she said. “Obama never did that. Hell, Nixon never did that, Reagan never did that! This is unprecedented and a stupid use of money.”
Greenberg said the parade was in Trump’s character, to celebrate himself for the hard work of being president. However, he said it is also why it was important for crowds to show up in response.
“I think that it’s really important to show counter protesting, that when they escalate, we escalate,” he said. “When they’re spending money and wasting money on unnecessary things, when they’re going after people who are not criminals who are just in the process of immigrating here, it’s ridiculous.”
Greenberg said protests will always be “dragged through the mud” by media and those who don’t respect what the protest is for, but standing up is important to do anyway.
Simms also said she had one message for the GOP, concerning their affiliation with Trump.
She said, “Republicans need to think long and hard about supporting this president.”
