URBANA, Ill. (Chambana Today) – Downtown Urbana will see road closures and heavy foot traffic this Saturday as part of the nationwide “No Kings Day of Action,” a coordinated protest effort pushing back against the policies of former President Donald Trump.
The local protest — organized by Champaign County Indivisible — begins with a rally at noon at the Champaign County Courthouse. Afterward, demonstrators will march through downtown streets in what organizers say is a peaceful defense of democracy and a stand against authoritarianism.
City officials said the event has a permit and will prompt street closures between 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Main Street between Broadway Avenue and Vine Street will be closed during that time. Additional closures will occur along the march route, which includes:
- South on Broadway Avenue
- East on Elm Street
- South on Vine Street
- West on Illinois Street
- North on Race Street
- East on Elm Street
- North on Broadway Avenue
City staff and law enforcement will maintain northbound Vine Street and eastbound Illinois Street traffic during the march but are urging drivers to expect delays and use patience while the event is underway.
The event will be emceed by Champaign County Indivisible co-lead Tracey Dougan, who called on the community to show up in defense of their rights. “Our Founding Fathers guaranteed us the right to free speech and to assemble peacefully to protest our government’s actions,” Dougan said. “No one can take that away from us.”
The Urbana protest is one of many planned across the country as part of the “No Kings” movement — a grassroots effort that organizers say opposes Trump’s record on immigration enforcement, healthcare cuts, climate rollbacks, and education policy.
The first “No Kings” protest was held on June 14, Trump’s birthday and the day of his controversial military parade. Organizers say it drew over 5 million people, making it the largest coordinated protest of Trump’s presidency to date.
Locally, Saturday’s protest is also being co-organized by ACLU of Champaign County, ACLU of Illinois, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Champaign-Urbana, Champaign County Democrats, Champaign-Urbana Resistance Effort (CURE), Indivisible Illinois, Indivisible Vermilion County, Illini Democrats, and the Young Democratic Socialists of America.
Organizers are calling this event the “next step” in their movement to “reclaim democracy and protect civil liberties.”
