Thousands gather for anti-Trump 'No Kings' protests across Chicago area, downtown march

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Thousands of people across Chicago and millions around the country are protesting President Donald Trump's policies on Saturday.

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This is the third round of "No Kings" protests. Several rallies are planned across the area, including one that began at 1:30 p.m. in Grant Park.

There are rolling street closures in the downtown and Grant Park areas, the Chicago Office of Emergency Management said.

The large crowd that gathered in Grant Park began marching down streets in downtown Chicago later in the afternoon Saturday.

Protests were also happening in Chicago's Irving Park neighborhood, Barrington, Evanston, Elgin, Joliet, Orland Park, Aurora, Crown Point, and Highland, Indiana.

One of the biggest gatherings could be in Minnesota. Bruce Springsteen was scheduled to perform in St. Paul. The rally also featured singer Joan Baez and actor Jane Fonda.

RELATED | Minnesota serves as the flagship for nationwide 'No Kings' protests against Trump

This weekend's action is likely to be one of the largest and will focus on President Trump's economic policies, the ongoing war in Iran and immigration enforcement.

Chicago's "No Kings" march took to downtown streets as a part of a nationwide movement to denounce President Trump and his policies.

Scores of people along with advocates and local elected officials turned out for the kickoff of the event which began with a "Hands Off Rally" at Grant Park's Butler Field.

"We expect many of tons of thousands of people to come out to say loudly no to the increasing assaults of the Trump administration on all of us," Indivisible Chicago organizer Kathy Tholin said.

It's the latest of several anti-Trump protests locally and across the country.

"We've just had enough," protester Maria Vite said. "They're just way too much stuff going on taking so much from every single one of us all the drift all the killing the killing of [Alex] Pretti. That did it for me."

Nearly a half dozen "No Kings" events were held around the area, in communities in the city and suburbs.

"As a trans person my existence is the risk here, but also as a lover of America and democracy, our democracy is completely under threat," protester Reid Sleman said. "That's what gets me out here."

The Chicago rally comes roughly four months after the first "No Kings" protest, which drew about estimated 15,000 to downtown and more to the suburbs. There was a second demonstration In October.

'We're sending a clear message that we're going to end this assault against working people," Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said. "We're gonna end this assault against immigrants and we're gonna end these in these wars and stand up for democracy."

Organizers say there were at least 3,100 other protests held around the country with an estimated 9 million people participating

Organizers are calling the protest a great success as they turn their efforts toward getting out the vote for the 2026 midterm election.