07-06-2025
Protesters gather in Peoria for ‘D-Day for Democracy' rally
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — On Saturday, more than 100 individuals assembled along War Memorial Drive in front of Peoria Stadium to participate in a protest organized by the Peoria chapter of 50501.
Participants carried signs and chanted slogans expressing their views on the Trump administration.
The date of the rally comes one day after the 81st anniversary of D-Day, the invasion of Normandy Beach in France by Allied troops in World War II. For the organizers, this moment harkens back to that time when democracy triumphed over autocracy.
Organizers described the current moment in American history as a pivotal one, likening it to the turning point of World War II. That connection inspired the event's name: 'D-Day for Democracy.'
'Of course, yesterday we all honored the veterans with the remembrance of the battle in 1944, when our veterans fought fascism in Europe. And so we're riding kind of on the heels of that. So today we're saying ordinary citizens are coming out and declaring their allegiance to the U.S. Constitution and to the rule of law,' Theresa Kuhlmann, the spokeswoman for Peoria 50501, said.
The rally also included a mock court trial for President Trump, staged by the organizers.
The 'D-Day for Democracy' rally was the fifth mass rally organized by 50501, a grassroots national movement opposing the policies and practices of the second Trump administration. Organizers with the Peoria chapter of 50501 said their goal is to build a movement that cannot be ignored by elected officials.
The Peoria 50501 chapter hopes the event will encourage ongoing civic engagement among community members.
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