Massive Turnout at Urbana's "No Kings" Protest Draws Thousands

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A protest against President Donald Trump’s administration unfolded on Saturday at the steps of the Champaign County Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois. This demonstration was part of the national “No Kings Day of Action” initiative.

Tracey Dougan, who co-leads Champaign County Indivisible and served as a speaker at the event, anticipated a turnout of around 5,000 participants. Earlier in the year, approximately 3,000 people gathered for Urbana’s inaugural No Kings protest, as reported by Dougan.

The event also drew attention to Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a special tribute to survivors.

Dougan highlighted the deployment of the National Guard and ICE in various American cities as key factors fueling the protest’s resurgence. “Donald Trump is raising the stakes, so we are doing the same,” Dougan stated. “We must stand together and assert that we will not tolerate this — change is imperative.”

Meanwhile, some Republican leaders have criticized the movement. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson from Louisiana characterized the protests as “Hate America Rallies.”

“You’re going to bring together the Marxists, the Socialists, the Antifa advocates, the anarchists and the pro-Hamas wing of the far-left Democrat Party,” Johnson said.

Dougan said that’s not the case, calling Urbana’s protest an exercise of people’s First Amendment rights.

“We are being more American than [Trump] ever imagined, what we’re doing is a constitutionally protected thing,” Dougan.

Other Central Illinois organizations spoke at the rally as well. The following were all in attendance: ACLU of Champaign County, ACLU of Illinois, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Champaign-Urbana, Champaign County Democrats, Champaign-Urbana Resistance Effort (CURE), Indivisible Illinois, Indivisible Vermilion County, Illini Democrats and Young Democratic Socialists of America.

The Secretary for Illini Democrats, Rey Camas, said assembling peacefully is something college students should continue to do during the movement.

“A lot of people tell us young people are the future,” Camas said. “But we are also the present, we can also get involved right now and not wait for the future.”

Camas said the demonstration is just one part of what’s necessary to create the change he wants to see.

“Although this is a good step, I think there are other ways we can get involved,” Camas said. “I want people to go back to their communities, help out and get involved with all these local organizations.”

Still, Dougan said seeing some in the community come together may inspire others moving forward.

“I want people to grab onto the hope something like this gives us,” Dougan said.

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Massive Turnout at Urbana’s “No Kings” Protest Draws Thousands

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Massive Turnout at Urbana’s “No Kings” Protest Draws Thousands

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