500-plus march in Chicago protesting Trump election
Chicago, IL – More than 500 protesters gathered in downtown Chicago on Wednesday, November 6, to denounce the rotten system that will return Donald Trump to the White House early next year, and to demand a people’s agenda and a free Palestine.
The action was organized by nearly two dozen local and community groups, many of which having played pivotal roles in the March on the DNC during the Democratic National Convention in August.
Rallying in Federal Plaza, speakers expressed outrage at the continued genocide in Gaza, and the neglect of people’s needs in the United States.
Nazek Sankari from the US Palestinian Community Network emphasized the many failures of Democrats and the Biden administration. “For four years, including two with control of all chambers, they did nothing. They rode the wave of the progressive movement in 2020 and then abandoned the people. No meaningful or impactful bills, or change for working-class people, nor real immigration reform to stop deportations, no police accountability measures to stop the killing of Black and brown people, no codifying of Roe v. Wade, no public policies any better than Trump’s.” Instead, she continued, “they started a proxy war against Russia and committed a yearlong genocide that has killed over 45,000 Palestinians – each of these using over a hundred billion of our tax dollars.”
Jae Franklin, co-chair of the Anti-War Committee (AWC), called out the complicity of politicians at all levels of government for the Gaza genocide by noting State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, who has overseen the investment of over $120 million in Israeli bonds.
Franklin stated, “He claims that these investments are for ‘our Israeli friends’ and a positive relationship between the United States and ‘the only remaining democracy in the Middle East.’” AWC Chicago is currently leading a divestment campaign focusing on Frerichs. “Shame on Frerichs for the disgusting, unforgivable crimes that he’s committed. Michael Frerichs, your hands are red!”
Encouraging the audience not to become demoralized, Frank Chapman, executive director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), stated, “This is the time, either we all unite and stand together, or they’re going to kill us separately. So let’s stand united.” He concluded with a note of optimism. “Thanks to the Palestinian resistance, this united front is more powerful than it’s ever been. This is a struggle that we’ve got to carry out to the finish. We have to defeat them. That means to all of you, welcome to the resistance. There ain’t no way out of this except through victory. All power to the people.”
After the rally, the crowd marched up Michigan Avenue. Chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” alternated with “Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Donald Trump, go away!”
The march concluded with a closing rally directly across the river from the skyscraper that is bears Trump’s name in 20-foot-tall steel letters. Chants and speeches continued over loudspeakers so that everyone in the building and beyond could hear the protesters’ messages.
With Trump and his reactionary movement set to return to power in January, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “The rotten choices made available to us stand as an indictment of the capitalist system. The U.S. empire is in decline and Donald Trump is only a symptom.” She called for a mass movement to counter the second Trump presidency. “The test is not how many bad things we can say about Trump – because what we can say is endless – but how many people we can put into the streets, how powerful and unified we can build our movement for justice. This is not the time to keep our heads down. It’s time to unite all who can be united to defeat Trump’s reactionary agenda and fight back, again and again, until we win!”