All in Public Declarations
On November 20, 2025, 75 demonstrators held a rally in Chicago’s Federal Plaza objecting to Donald J. Trump’s efforts to topple Venezuela strongman Nicolás Maduro’s regime, possibly through U.S. military intervention. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Chief Greg Bovino of the U.S. Border Patrol and about 80 agents posed in front of Chicago’s iconic Bean (Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate) on November 10, 2025. A group of demonstrations recreated the photograph on November 11, 2025, but instead of holding long guns, the demonstrations held signs calling for ICE to leave Chicago. Here are my thoughts about and a single photograph of the November 11th photo session.
Chicago-area veterans held a rally at Chicago’s Vietnam War Memorial along the Chicago Riverwalk to commemorate Veterans Day 2025. Given all the chaos created by Donald J. Trump, several speakers went far afield in their remarks, thereby overshadowing the stated theme—opposition to all war. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators, a lone anti-Trump demonstrator, and a group of motorcyclists all took to the streets on Saturday, October 4, 20025. Their paths crossed on Upper Wacker Drive, just to the west of Michigan Avenue. Here are my thoughts about and images from the three gatherings.
On Friday, October 3, 2025, I headed to the ICE Broadview Detention Center where migrants who are detained by ICE are processed and held. Earlier in the day, five people were arrested, but while I was outside the facility, there were no arrests or other notable incidents. Here are my thoughts about and images from my visit.
On September 20, 2025, Chicago’s pro-Palestinian and “Trump-Out-of-Chicago” forces joined together what turned into a joint rally and march. Several hundred demonstrations castigated Trump, condemned ICE, and demanded that Israel cease military operations in Gaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally and subsequent march.
On August 24, 2025, Senator Richard J. Durbin held a town hall meeting at Chicago’s Ukrainian Cultural Center, where he spoke about the war in Ukraine and then answered questions from community leaders. Here are my thoughts about and images from the meeting.
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 75 demonstrators rallied outside the offices of Chicago-based McNally Capital, calling out the family investment office for an investment it made in a security firm that the demonstrators allege has caused death and injury to countless Palestinians in Gaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
On Sunday, September 14, 2025, Chicago’s Mexican Community celebrated Mexican Independence Day with a parade in Little Village. Here are my thoughts about and images from the afternoon celebration.
On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, the Coalition Against Trump staged an emergency demonstration at 5:00 PM in the Congress Gardens Plaza just off Michigan Avenue. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event.
Late Saturday afternoon, I covered a rally demanding that Donald J. Trump keep the military and ICE agents out of Chicago. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration and subsequent march.
On Saturday, September 7, 2025, 100 people demonstrated outside Naval Base Great Lakes in Waukegan, Illinois in opposition to Donald J. Trump’s immigration policies and his willingness to deploy the National Guard and the U.S. military for domestic law enforcement purposes. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration and subsequent march.
September has arrived, which means Labor Day weekend. Today, several thousand Chicagoans took to the streets in the West Loop and Fulton Market for a protest march against the Trump Administration. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event
On Thursday, August 22, 2025, I attended the Ukrainian flag raising ceremony in in Chicago’s Daley Plaza. Here are my thought about and images from the celebration.
Late Saturday afternoon, Sean Feucht brought his rock and roll ministry to Chicago’s Daley Plaza. Often characterized as a Christian nationalist, the charismatic Feucht led 100 of his adherents in prolonged prayer, which included music, chants, and spoken words. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally.
On Saturday, August 20, 2025, members of the Chicago’s Palestinian Community held a demonstration at the intersection of Upper Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue. Here are my observations about and images from the demonstration.
On Saturday, August 14, 2025, I attended “Stand with Texas: Fight the Trump Takeover” in Chicago’s Millennium Park. Sponsored by Indivisible Chicago, the demonstrators included many of the Texas legislators who fled to Illinois in order to prevent the Texas Legislature from converting five Democratic congressional seats to Republican ones through redistricting/gerrymandering. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event
Late Thursday afternoon, August 14, 2025, several groups held a protest in Chicago’s Federal Plaza to object to Donald J. Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Tomorrow, Donald J. Trump heads to Alaska for an ill-advised summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Tonight, 30 Russian emigrés demonstrated outside of Chicago’s Wrigley Building, calling on Putin to stop the war in Ukraine. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
This past Sunday afternoon, 75 demonstrations gathered in Federal Plaza for a rally on behalf of transgender rights. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
