SPRINGFIELD -- To shouts of "No thrones...No crowns...No kings," a crowd estimated at just over 1,000 took part in a No Kings protest at the Illinois Capitol on June 14.

The crowd later marched from the Capitol grounds to the Old State Capitol.

The protest was put on by Illinois Undivided and Focused, a chapter of the 50501 movement in Illinois.

Over 2,000 communities around the world held protests pushing back on authoritarianism, corporate capture of government and threats to human rights by the Trump administration.

Among Illinois communities holding protests were Carlinville, Galesburg, Rockford and Chicago.

The date of the protest coincided with a military parade, estimated to cost $40 million , in Washington, D.C. to mark the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. June 14 was also President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.

The crowd estimate was given to one of the organizers of the protest, Joshua Leingang, by the Illinois Secretary of State, but was only for people on the Capitol grounds. It didn't account several hundred people east of Second Street, Leingang said.

Brandishing a "No Kings" sign, Bonnie Williams of Springfield said every day was like "waking up to a new horror" under Trump.

Williams, attending the protest with her sister, Donna Logue, was particularly incensed about the Pentagon activating 700 Marines to join the federalized National Guard’s military occupation of parts of Los Angeles.

A string of ICE raids there sparked a wave of demonstrations last week.

"Trump is trying to provide insurrection so he can militarize us," Williams said.

One of the day's organizers, Tara Bergschneider of New Berlin, said Saturday "was not just another protest. Today is a declaration because in America, we don't do kings. We never have. We never will."

Les Blain of Springfield said he has shown up for protests organized by 50501 at the Capitol before, but felt Saturday's was the most important one yet, especially with immigration issues feeding into it.

"Trump is not minding the Constitution," Blain said. "I thought that was a line we drew in the sand.

"I think we are (tilting towards a monarchy) if we don't let our feelings be (heard). He can't go unchecked."

Linda Canter of Springfield also has attended a number of protests at the Capitol against Trump.

"Everything he does is protest-worthy," Canter said.

"We will not stand for kings in America," Leingang said. "We will not stand for fascism in America. We will not stand for dictators in America."

Leingang later donned a penguin suit--a jab at Trump slapping tariffs on two Australian territories mostly inhabited by penguins--to lead protesters to the Old State Capitol.

Leingang also criticized the May 7 visit to Springfield by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Noem had labeled Illinois’ sanctuary status as “absolutely disastrous."

Noem was panned by critics for holding her news conference near where Springfield activist Emma Shafer was fatally stabbed in 2023.

"Immigrants are being kidnapped off our streets," Leingang said. "When Kristi Noem came to Springfield, she took two of our citizens. She came here to preach her hate against a community leader."

Two men arrested the morning of Noem's visit were issued deportation notices, though they haven't been deported yet.

The No Kings protest comes just days after Gov. JB Pritzker appeared before a U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform defending Illinois' immigration policies.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; [email protected]; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie .