Tens of Thousands Take to DC & Chicago Streets to Protest the Militarization of U.S. Cities
At over 230 locations today, Americans stood against authoritarianism
Today has been a great day for democracy.
On Saturday, September 6, over 230 cities hosted rallies, vigils, protests, and demonstrations. Nearly every state hosted civil actions this weekend. Their cries called for the end of the occupation of our cities, the end of roving I.C.E raids, and the end of the genocide in Gaza.
Bridge and overpass demonstrations have spread across the country like wildfire over the past few months. What started as just a handful of locations has exploded to fifty to one hundred locations each week. This week, Dubuque Visibility Brigade in Iowa displayed a series of messages for motorists that ranged from “Vaccines Save Lives” to “Believe Epstein Victims.”
Across the county in Washington state, Washington Muslim Youth for Palestine gathered in downtown Seattle. They called for Congress to “Fund aid, not war” and demand the end of the siege of Gaza. They were one of over four-dozen such demonstrations this week.
CHICAGO
In recent days, President Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, as well as other U.S. cities. Despite a statement by Governor Abbot of Texas indicating they were not preparing to deploy to Illinois, the President’s repeated remarks are not being taken lightly by the people of the Windy City.
A recent Truth Social post depicts an A.I. Trump donning a cavalry stetson with the skyline of Chicago in the background. It reads, “‘I love the smell of deportations in the morning…’ Chicago about to find our why it’s called the Department of War 🚁🚁🚁".”
In response, thousands of protesters marched through downtown Chicago along Michigan Ave. Their message was clear: the people of Chicago stand with immigrants. Several groups collaborated to host this demonstration, including; The Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA), Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Chicago Teachers Union, and GoodKids MadCity.
According to Coalition Against the Trump Agenda, “Our coalition and community is out here at Ida B Wells and Michigan Ave to protest the racist reactionary Trump agenda, and his targeting of our city with a flood of ICE agents, feds, and threatening to deploy the armed forces on our residents.”
WASHINGTON D.C.
In Washington D.C., a protest rivaling Chicago in size and passion unfolded. A crowd of over 10,000 gathered Saturday to call for the end of the occupation of D.C. by the National Guard. Free DC, one of the organizers shared, “Together we showed up as a powerful display of solidarity against this regime and for one another.”
The crowd marched from Malcolm X Plaza to Freedom Park. Organizers and residents are calling the White House to return control of D.C. to the local police. Among the crowd is a growing cry for Congress to amend the constitution to appropriate a representative in the House to D.C. A petition is available at CASA’s website.
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Don’f forget, No Kings day is coming on October 18. Mark your calendars.
I was in DC today for the March!!
NOV 5
This is what we've all been working toward: The Final Strike. This is not a march, it is not a protest, this is an UPRISING.
THE LARGEST NONVIOLENT MASS MOBILIZATION IN US HISTORY. Millions of people in DC Nov 5. The fall of the Trump administration.
It only happens if we make it happen. refusefascism.org PASS IT ON