On a cold winter Saturday in February of this year, Grace Clear came to Elmhurst City Hall and protested outside with a sign supporting democracy.
The following Saturday, a few people joined her. The following Saturday, more people joined, and this group of people began holding a rally every Saturday at city hall from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Clear is a board member of Progressives for Change. According to their website, progressives4change.org,
“Progressives for Change is an inclusive and progressive network of residents committed to cultivating an informed and engaged citizenry in Elmhurst, Illinois and beyond.” We come together to advocate, educate, and empower ourselves and others.
On Saturday, June 14, at 1:30 p.m., people gathered in downtown Elmhurst outside city hall to take part in the “No Kings Day” nationwide protest.
Progressives for Change members in Elmhurst organized and coordinated Saturday’s event. People of all ages and ethnicities rallied around the city hall building, holding posters. The posters featured messages defending democracy and protesting the Trump administration’s policies.
The crowd marched from City Hall to Glos Memorial Park, chanting various phrases in protest of President Donald Trump and his administration’s actions, which included cutting federal jobs, defunding public programs, deporting immigrants without due process, President Trump’s alleged authoritarian behavior, and many other issues.
People rallied all the way to Glos Memorial Park, and many cars beeped in support as they drove by. The crowd cheered and chanted “No More Trump!” after each car beeped.
Around 2:25 p.m., the crowd fell silent as Clear thanked them for coming out to protest. She was followed by guest speakers Andrew Honig, DuPage County Board Member for District 2, and Elizabeth (Liz) Chaplin, DuPage County Recorder.
Both Honig and Chaplin emphasized the importance of people continuing to make their voices heard through protests and voting in upcoming elections.
The speeches concluded with John Baker, a board member of Progressives for Change, recognizing Clear for initiating the first democratic protest in Elmhurst and for leading the organization of Saturday’s event. He also announced that there were about 1,400 people in attendance on Saturday.
Following that, the crowd continued to rally in the park before marching back to City Hall, waving posters and chanting phrases like, “This is what democracy looks like!”
Several Elmhurst police officers were present throughout the rally, and it remained peaceful even when two or three pro-Trump supporters arrived with MAGA flags, attempting to disrupt the protest.
Clear reminded participants to avoid interacting with pro-Trump supporters in order to maintain peace.
Members of the Progressives for Change were impressed by the large turnout for the “No Kings Day” protest.
Prior to Saturday’s event, the organization’s largest rally drew 350 people on April 5 for the “Hands Off” day of action.
That was also a nationwide protest against the Trump administration’s policies, but on a smaller scale, whereas Saturday’s protest was even more significant because hundreds of cities across the country were participating in a “No Kings Day” demonstration.
When asked what motivated her to start protesting by herself. Clear stated that the motivation for her protests in February stemmed from President Trump’s election and the way he began dismantling things. She mentioned how many things prompted her to say, “Enough is enough.” She expressed a strong desire to do something and speak up.
Clear stated that since her first protest in February, she has received positive feedback from many residents who are pleased to see her speaking up and taking action.
The majority of the people who began joining her in the protests are seniors who are unable to travel outside of Elmhurst but want their voices heard. She also stated that they represent the voices of those who are unable to attend protests because they believe they are being targeted by the Trump administration.
When asked what it means to protest on Flag Day, Clear replied, “It means everything, because liberals are not always perceived as patriotic. We are as patriotic as anyone else, and the flag truly belongs to all of us.”
