Cars honked as they drove by the “No Kings” protest at the Bloomington Courthouse Saturday afternoon, their horns joining the chanting and cheering that filled the air.
The protest was organized by 50501, a movement opposing what they call anti-democratic actions of the Trump administration.
Protestors, some dressed as Spider-Man, dinosaurs and even a shark, stood along Walnut Street, holding signs that read “Honk for freedom” and “No crowns, no thrones, no kings.”
The crowd, ranging from young children with their parents to great grandparents, began gathering around 11 a.m., three hours before the start of the protest. Security and first aid teams arrived around noon.
More than 2,500 “No Kings” protests were expected to take place around the United States and 19 countries around the world Saturday.
“We're a grassroots organization started when Trump got elected: 50 states, 50 protests, one movement,” said Sandy Washburn, one of the protest organizers. “It started on Reddit.”
Washburn was supposed to be in St. Louis is weekend roller skating as Mario. Instead, she helped organize the protest because she believes in its importance.
“Just like visibility, so people see how many people are dissatisfied with executive overreach,” Washburn said. “Congress doesn't seem to have a spine or know their duty. The rule of law is just gone.”
For Washburn, the protest meant standing up against fascism. She works for a disability organization that had to change its website to continue to receive federal funding.
“We're being bribed to scrub our website of principles and values that we hold dear, and I'm (angry) about it,” Washburn said.
Washburn estimated there would be over 1,000 protestors during the event. At the “No Kings” protest in June, there were over 2,000. She said homecoming and the IU football game likely reduced the turnout.
Tents were set up to raise money for school lunches, medicare and refugee expenses. Others raised awareness of the LGBTQ+ community and healthcare.
Between the tents and around the square, people held signs reading “Trump is a fascist clown,” “Are we great yet? Because I just feel embarrassed,” and “Release the pedo-FILES.”
On the north side of the square, a mother stood with a sign and her four-year-old son. She explained to her son why they were protesting, telling him it was because they love America and want it to be great.
For 83-year-old Lily, who did not want to disclose her last name for fear of backlash, this was her first protest.
“I've never had to do a protest,” Lily said. “I never thought it was important.”
Lily has two great grandchildren, one who is 8-years-old and the other 17. She said she was at the protest for them.
“All the things that've been taken away from us, all of our rights, all of our medical, all of our scientists, anything we've had has been taken away,” Lily said. “I'm old enough to know that the generations before me have not been in the same situation.”
She held a sign saying “I am a great grandmother. I’m here for them” and “I am not a terrorist.” She said the administration has been trying to scare people from protesting by saying they would be tried.
“It's crazy, but, I mean, the world is the world,” Lily said. “We've got to all understand each other, and try to understand it's not built with one person. But one person can change a heck of a lot.”