CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS PHOTO BY JADE AUBREY
Protestors collect in entrance of the Illinois Statehouse Monday, Feb. 17, to protest President Donald Trump’s administration on President’s Day.
A second protest in opposition to the Trump administration happened in entrance of the Illinois Capitol Monday, lower than two weeks after the primary such protest was held.
The protest was a part of the “50501 movement,” which requires 50 protests in 50 states on in the future. This is similar entity that put collectively a similar protest Feb. 5, which was considered one of dozens of protests that happened throughout the nation that day.
Build The Resistance, one of many fundamental web sites getting used to prepare these protests, referred to as it the “2nd Nationwide 50501 Day of Motion,” and began the protest’s slogan of “No Kings on President’s Day.”
The 50501 Reddit account posted the preliminary protest posters Feb. 10, which have been photos of President Donald Trump sporting a crown subsequent to the phrases “President not King,” “President not God,” and “President not Führer.”
Organizers of the Illinois-based protest issued a statement for Monday’s protest, calling it “No Kings” Day. The assertion included a number of nationwide and Illinois-specific requests that revolved round points together with variety, fairness and inclusion packages, LGBTQ+ rights, citizenship rights, immigration, Elon Musk, and the Division of Authorities Effectivity.
Tristan Websites, a Lincoln resident who recognized himself as one of many organizers of the Springfield rally, mentioned the protest was not merely about Trump.
“Now we have no kings on this nation,” Websites mentioned. “This isn’t about Trump as an individual anymore. That is about the truth that Trump and his individuals are at the moment making an attempt to systematically destroy the federal government that makes us allowed to be free on this nation.”
VIDEO BY JADE AUBREY, CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
The protest was a part of the “50501 motion,” which requires 50 protests in 50 states on in the future.
As protestors started to reach round midday, organizers performed music from audio system, together with a song by Woody Guthrie, titled “All You Fascists Certain to Lose.” In addition they arrange a desk displaying copies of the nationwide motion’s press release, an inventory of chants for use, markers and cardboard to make indicators. By 1 p.m., tons of had gathered in entrance of the statehouse.
At 1:30 p.m. they launched into a six-block march via downtown Springfield. Afterwards, occasion organizers gave speeches and began chants in entrance of the Capitol.
“I do know lots of people are of the opinion that standing out right here with an indication and yelling into the void actually doesn’t do a lot,” Websites mentioned. “I disagree. And the explanation I disagree is as a result of it will get folks speaking about it. The truth that so many individuals are actually concerned on this motion and so many individuals are conscious of what’s occurring is as a result of one particular person on Reddit made a publish after which it occurred.”
The 50501 motion has labelled itself as a grassroots motion with no single organizer. Websites mentioned he heard in regards to the motion on Reddit and joined the Illinois-based chat on a Discord server, which he mentioned appeared to “blow up in a single day.”
“Myself and some of the opposite organizers have a protracted historical past in occasion group,” Websites mentioned. “We run a number of small-scale conference occasions all through the Midwest. We’re not affiliated, actually, however we used that have as transferable expertise to be able to make it possible for we have been capable of put this occasion collectively in a method that might maintain folks secure.”
He mentioned Gov. JB Pritzker is doing an “unbelievable job” dealing with and criticizing the actions of Trump and his administration and referred to as Pritzker the Illinois-based motion’s “MVP.”
“We additionally know that our different representatives and our different politicians may very well be doing extra to vocally assist the folks of this state,” he mentioned “Gov. Pritzker, like I mentioned, his workplace is doing an unbelievable job. We wish to hear extra from the opposite folks in positions of energy within the state of Illinois. We wish to hear that you’re on our aspect.”
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan information service that distributes state authorities protection to tons of of reports retailers statewide. It’s funded primarily by the Illinois Press Basis and the Robert R. McCormick Basis.
