For community member George Gibson, the protest held Thursday July 22 in Joliet was only the second he had ever attended – his first was last month in California. Gibson was particularly worried about the national debt and the fiscal responsibility of the federal government, and Trump’s budget reconciliation bill was the inciting incident for his attendance. 

“When I saw the outline for the ‘Big Bad Bill,’ that’s when I knew.”

Gibson was one of roughly 100 protesters who organized Thursday along Jefferson Street as part of the national Good Trouble Lives On campaign, a movement that seeks to honor the late congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis, who urged Americans to get in “good trouble, necessary trouble.”

The Good Trouble protests succeed the nationwide Hands Off and No Kings protests of April and June respectively. Attendees voiced harsh criticism over Trump’s policies on the economy, immigration and civil rights.

“It feels disheartening to see this country head down this path,” explained Michael Plata, an eight year Army veteran who donned a crew neck sweater reading “Veterans Against ICE.” Plata worries about two members of his family: His father, a naturalized U.S. citizen that entered the country illegally; and his sister, a current member of the U.S. Marines.

Plata is concerned that raids conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could target his father. Raids by ICE have resulted in the erroneous deportations of legally protected individuals due to the deployment of aggressive tactics.

“I’m just angry with what’s going on. I want to make my voice heard,” graduate of Coal City High School Kyle expressed. In reference to the ongoing Trump-Epstein controversy, Kyle carried a sign reading, “Release the Files (Spoiler Alert: Trump’s In Them).”

“It’s usually not this loud, so I’m happy,” Jerry Schwer said of the frequent honking of passing vehicles. Schwer is a longtime independent voter, but Trump has dissuaded her from voting for the Republican party in the future. “I have never felt such fear and dread that this person is in office.”

Numerous attendees accused the current administration as “fascist” or “authoritarian.” Louanne Randolph has ancestors who fought in the Korean War, Vietnam War and World War II.

She views Trump, specifically in his relationship to Putin, as a genuine threat in terms of facism: “I’m fighting for my father and what he gave up.”

As the protest came to a close, featured speakers decried the actions of the Trump administration. De’Andre Robinson, a social worker at Joliet West High School and Sr. Pastor at New Beginnings Christ Church of Faith, spoke of John Lewis and urged the crowd to take action and unite.

As Robinson’s speech came to a close, he upheld love as the most crucial tool for overcoming obstacles and making “good trouble.”

“How can you say we love when we are hating on one another? Love unifies and brings strength to each and every one of us.”