the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Oct 27, 2025
The “No Kings” rally on October 19 in Chicago was massive. There were many tens of thousands of people, a dense crowd stretching two miles.
The protestors seemed much more representative of the city than at the last “No Kings” protest, with more Latinos and Black people, more working-class people.
One thing is clear: many Chicagoans are mad, especially at the Trump administration’s big ICE and Border Patrol operations in the city. Agents have been kidnapping older people who have been here for decades, Uber drivers waiting for passengers, flower and food vendors, workers at construction sites and a flea market, mothers bringing kids to school. They have tossed tear gas, not just at protestors, but at people going to a supermarket and in front of a school, and have threatened people with guns.
Some of the signs at the protest were silly, or focused on Trump alone, but others expressed outrage at these attacks on the population.
Many in the crowd said that it felt good to see all those people standing up, especially for the immigrant workers who are most directly under attack.
The Illinois governor and the Chicago mayor gave speeches criticizing Trump and the administration. Mayor Brandon Johnson even referred to the way enslaved people fought for freedom during the Civil War: “If my ancestors, as slaves, can lead the greatest general strike in the history of this country, taking it to the ultra-rich and big corporations, we can do it too!”
Good idea!
But these Democratic politicians are not about to organize anything like that. Instead, this huge crowd was only given the perspective that they vote for the Democrats when the next election comes along. None of the speakers mentioned that the Democrats have their own history of repression, including large numbers of deportations of working people under Obama and Biden.
Still—the march made clear there are many, many people ready to do something, to take a stand against the brutality being inflicted on working people in this city.