30-mile protest against President Trump policies links Aurora to Chicago

LA GRANGE, Ill. (WLS) -- People protested new policies from President Donald Trump on Sunday in a rally called "Hands Across Chicagoland."

The protestors lined streets while wearing black.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

From the Chicago to Aurora and everywhere in between, the protest was billed as a 30-mile long human chain that began in Aurora and ended in Chicago's Little Village. While the turnout may have fallen short of the tens of thousands of protestors organizers were predicting, it was still significant.

"It's going to take everyone all the time to make a difference," protestor Teri Lee Nordstedt said.

People, hundreds, maybe even thousands, lined Ogden Avenue, starting in Chicago and going through Cicero, Brookfield, La Grange, Lisle, Naperville and all the way to Aurora, to make their voices heard, speaking up against the Trump administration's policies across the board.

"We have to stand up and say that's enough. Hands off. Hands off Medicaid. Hands off Medicare. Hands off SNAP," said Bill Mengebier with Indivisible Chicago.

The protest was put together by a coalition of democratic organizations across the city and suburbs, calling for people to come out and hold hands across Chicagoland. Tens of thousands confirmed in advance. The end number likely much smaller, but substantial nonetheless.

"When they start honking you feel like you're not alone," protestor Eunice Marriott said. "A lot of us are in our homes shaking our heads, scratching our heads, saying what can we do, doesn't anybody see what's happening and here we have that there are more of us."

READ MORE | Rallies downtown Chicago continue efforts to unite against Trump administration policies

"Every act of courage matters. And we are out here in our act of courage, no matter how small to make sure our voice matters," protestor Rick Lunt said.

The protest also brought out some of the democrats already running to replace retiring Senator Dick Durbin in 2026, including Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi.

"Donald Trump made all these promises about what he was going to accomplish. He has not done any of it," Stratton said.

"When they come for democracy, Chicago doesn't whisper it roars. And that's what today is about," Krishnamoorthi said.

There was a small counter-protest as well, with a caravan composed of Trump supporters driving along the route but mostly avoiding direct interaction with protesters