On Saturday, March 22, 2025, somewhere between 50 and 75 demonstrators assembled outside the Tesla dealership in Chicago’s Gold Coast. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
All in Public Declarations
Fed Employees Speak Out
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, current and recently terminated employees from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the IRS gathered at noon in Federal Plaza to rally against Elon Musk use of a metaphorical chainsaw to slash the Federal workforce. Here are my thoughts about and images from this small, but important demonstration.
Khalil's Right
On Tuesday, Chicago’s pro-Palestinian forces held what was billed as an emergency rally in Federal Plaza on behalf of Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate student who was taken into custody Sunday night by ICE agents because he helped orchestrate demonstrations on Columbia’s campus during the Spring of 2024. Whether you are pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian, Khalil’s case raises important First Amendment and right-to-legal counsel issues that should concern every American. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration, including two images of Khalil I captured when I visited Columbia’s campus during the Spring of 2024
'Tesla Takedown'
Last Saturday, 250 people marched to the Gold Coast Tesla store to call out Elon Musk, DOGE, and Donald J. Trump. Here are my thoughts about and images from this demonstration.
Women Hit the Streets
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, I attended Chicago’s celebration of International Women’s Day in Daley Plaza. Fifteen hundred demonstrators turned out. After several speeches, the demonstrators marched to Trump Tower for obvious reasons. Here are my thought about and images from the day’s events
Scientific Repeat
On Friday, May 7, 2022, rallies were held throughout the United States under the moniker, Stand Up for Science 2025. Its focus was on Trump’s misinformation, denigration of scientific facts, and cuts to NIH, CDC, and other funding that supports scientific and medical research. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally.
Are You Wearing a Suit?
Chicago’s Ukrainian Community scheduled an emergency march and rally following the Oval Office dress down of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who actually was stylishly attired in his battle fatigues. I was not going to miss the Sunday rally at Jane Bryne Plaza, followed by the march to Daley Plaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Honoring the Dead
Ten years ago, on February 27, 2015, Vladimir Putin had the Russian physicist and politician, Boris Nemtsov assassinated within eyesight of the Kremlin. Today, Russian émigrés in Chicago, gathered in the Wrigley Building Plaza to commemorate Nemtsov’s death, as well as the deaths of other dissidents. Here are my thoughts about and images from the gathering.
Presidents' Day
A group calling itself #50501 called for nationwide demonstrations against the Trump Administration and Elon Musk on Presidents’ Day. About 300 people assembled in Chicago’s Millennium Park for a rally, before marching to Trump Tower, where they met up with another group that held a demonstration in Chicago’s Federal Plaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from what was a relatively short demonstration on a very cold day.
Navalny, One Year Later
Sunday, February 16, 2025 marked the first anniversary of Alexei Navalny’s death at the hands of Vladimir Putin’s regime. Chicago’s Russian Émigré Community marked the anniversary with a solemn memorial service. Here are my thoughts about and images from the service.
Elon and Transgender
On Saturday, I attended two of the five demonstrations scheduled in Chicago. One was a protest outside of the Rush Street Tesla dealership that targeted Elon Musk and Doge. The other was a transgender rights demonstration near the Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital. Here are my thoughts about and images from these two events.
Eye of the Storm
On Saturday, February 9, 2025, I headed to Chicago’s Little Village, home to the largest Mexican Community in the Midwest for a demonstration calling out President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally and march.
Yoav Gallant: A Red Flag
On February 6, 2025, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke at Chicago’s Anshe Emet Day School. Outside, about 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in the bone-chilling cold. Here are my thoughts about and images about the event and the demonstration.
Independence Day
On Sunday, January 26, 2025, Ambassador William B. Taylor addressed Chicago’s Ukrainian Community at its annual Independence Day banquet at the Chicago Ukrainian Cultural Center. Here are my thoughts about and images from the banquet.
Changing Things Up
This past Saturday, I attended my first Chicago demonstration of the year. Sponsored by over 60 advocacy groups, it highlighted a number of causes. Front and center: the War in Gaza and Trump’s crackdown on undocumented aliens. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally and demonstration.
A Star Is Born
For the second year in a row, pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched down Chicago’s Magnificent Mile on Black Friday. Today’s star was Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, a member of the anti-Zionist group, Neturei Karta. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
1000 Days
On November 19, 2024, Chicago’s Ukrainian Community commemorated the 1,000th day since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion against Ukraine on February 24, 2024. Community members gathered in the plaza outside the Wrigley Building for speeches and anthems, and then they marched north on Michigan Avenue to Jane Byrne Plaza (the location of Chicago’s historic Water Tower). Here are my thoughts about and images from this stirring rally and march.
Berlin In Chicago
Members of the Russian opposition to Vladimir Putin gathered in the plaza outside the Wrigley Building on November 17, 2024, taking part in a worldwide demonstration against Putin’s war in Ukraine. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally.
Ukrainians Back At It
Chicago’s Ukrainian Community staged a demonstration in Lincoln Park, demanding that Russia release the Azovstal Defenders who are currently imprisoned. Not surprisingly, the U.S. Presidential Election cast a long and dark shadow over the event. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event.
SAIC Walkout
On Thursday, October 24, 2024, students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago held a demonstration, demanding that the Art Institute cut its ties with the Crown Family because the family still holds a significant interest in General Dynamics, a manufacturer of bombs used by the Israeli Defense Forces in the war against Hamas. Here are my thoughts about and images from the spirited demonstration.