"No Kings" protest in Broadview: What to expect
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Protesters for the "No Kings" rally and march in Chicago in June 2025. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
Demonstrators will hit the Chicago area streets this weekend for a "No Kings" protest over the ongoing immigration raids in the Twin Cities.
The big picture: Protests are planned for 10am Saturday outside the ICE processing center in Broadview, where officials are expecting up to 5,000 demonstrators.
What they're saying: "We're calling on all opposition groups to join us at Broadview and outside ICE facilities across the nation ... to protest the most recent deadly escalation in these brutal authoritarian tactics," protest organizer and American Opposition founder Carlos Alvarez-Aranyos said in a statement.
Zoom in: Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson says the village has been in communication with Alvarez-Aranyos over concerns for public safety.
- Broadview Police will be joined by the Illinois State Police, the Cook County Sheriff's Police and other law enforcement agencies to "maintain order and security" during the event.
- "I appreciate Mr. Alvarez-Aranyos' cooperation and open dialogue throughout this process and his commitment to facilitate a peaceful First Amendment demonstration that aims to reinforce the message that the United States is a democracy committed to the rule of law, and not the rule of kings or tyrants."
Friction point: The processing center has been the focal point of area protests over the past year, marked by standoffs and chaotic clashes between federal agents and demonstrators.
- Several protesters have been tear-gassed, arrested and some have been charged with felonies for impeding agents.
- The ongoing clashes have led to court rulings on everything from use of force policies against protesters and journalists to reforming conditions at the facility.
- There have also been questions about the crowd control tactics of the Illinois State Police, assigned to protect the center by Gov. JB Pritzker.
Flashback: The "No Kings" protest rally downtown in October drew nearly 75,000 people.
If you go: Be prepared for detours. The village will implement road closures, including shutting down the 25th Avenue southbound ramp off I-290, starting at 7am Saturday.