A large crowd turned out Saturday along War Memorial Drive near Peoria Stadium for a "No Kings" protest, part of a nationwide day of demonstrations critical of the Trump administration. The event, organized locally by Peoria 50501, was the third in a series of coordinated nationwide protests.
The crowd was diverse in age, background, and cause. Signs addressed immigration enforcement, health care, women's rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and executive power. The tone was largely upbeat: Attendees chatted, costumes and signs drew laughs, and passing cars honked in support.
Jaclyn Lewis, a Peoria social worker, said her presence came down to a simple belief. "We as Americans love this country, we love this place, we love our neighbors," Lewis said. "We believe that everyone deserves to have a good life, to have housing, have health care, have enough to eat."
Rune Lane, a professional artist from Henry, said the day was about reclaiming something.
"I fight for democracy, and I'm an American," Lane said. "I want to be proud of this country, and I'm willing to do the work."
Jennifer Innis, minister with the Universalist Unitarian Church of Peoria, said she came to support democracy, human rights, and her neighbors. She said the crowd looked broader than at previous local rallies. She added, "My faith is really based in the human dignity that we're all connected, that we need to be out there living our lives and to do that in love and compassion. […] I think this is the most diverse crowd we've seen so far.”
J. Gruber, a CPA from Peoria Heights, drew on history.
"We do not need a king now any more than we did in 1776," she said. "We've got to be together about the things we do agree on."
Casey Ferris of the American Civil Liberties Union said the organization came to make sure people knew where to turn.
"There are so many different civil rights that are being trampled on," Ferris said. "Anybody who feels like their civil rights have been taken, we take it to our state affiliates."
Hillary Wasson, a trauma therapist and a member of the Handmaid Army of Peoria, said community is central to what her group does. "It's a lot about community and coming together," she said. "Make sure that people know that if they're feeling uncertain about what's going on, they're not alone."
Wasson and other members of the Handmaid Army came dressed as characters from the dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale. She explained, “It's a very noticeable and recognizable symbol of what we're trying to do with the resistance, based off of a novel by Margaret Atwood, about what happens when religious psychosis takes over a nation.”
Jenna Adair, a Peoria office administrator, acknowledged the limits of a single afternoon rally — but said it still mattered.
"We're not going to effect any change, real change that we'd like to see doing this," she said. "But it does bring people together, and I think gives a little bit of hope."
Organizers encouraged attendees to register to vote, contact their representatives, and stay engaged after leaving.
Bloomington protest
Similar demonstrations were held in Bloomington, Normal, Springfield and other Illinois cities on Saturday.
In Bloomington, protestors filled the lawn outside the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, with an overflow gathering south of the lawn and across East Street.
Gary Frieden and his wife Jane, two State Farm retirees from Downs, hoisted signs for honking drivers passing along East Street. His sign read “We should not have to protect democracy from the president.”
Frieden said he’s protesting the chaos of Trump’s two administrations, citing the war in Iran and the threatened interventions in Cuba and Greenland. He said the large crowd is a sign the movement to rein in the Trump administration is gaining momentum.
“There’s just so much going on. If you itemized everything that’s happened during the two [Trump] administrations, there’s 300 things to complain about,” he said.
Jennifer Olson, a retail store manager in Bloomington, said she would like to see Congress impeach Trump a third time, citing the war in Iran, the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement and use of tariffs as her main concerns.
“Everything is going up in price. It’s awful right now,” Olson said. “He has just messed this country up so bad.”
Mike Kolze of Normal, who works part-time as a school bus monitor, held the American flag as a sign of patriotism and a call for a return to the Constitution.
“I feel I’m a much better patriot than anybody on the [political] right is today,” Kolze said.
Kolze said the current administration has ignored the working class and “anybody but his rich elite friends,” while the war in Iran has helped drive up prices.
