About 50 protesters gathered Sunday at Federal Plaza to call for President Donald Trump’s impeachment, claiming that “Trump is in blatant violation of the Constitution.”
Diana Dalnes, 56, helped organize the event after learning of July 2 marches planned in other cities.
“I think he’s a dangerous person,” she said. “He would pick a fight with 140 characters.”
After speeches and musical performances, demonstrators marched downtown on the sidewalk, chanting variations on “No ban, no wall, the Trump regime has got to fall.”
“This is ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” said co-organizer Jay Becker from RefuseFacism.org. “This is what has to happen. We cannot be complicit in these crimes.”
Protesters cited concerns over health care, immigration and the president’s conflicts of interest.
It was 53-year-old Julie Pambianco’s first protest. “I came out to this because I’m so sick of Trump,” the Chicago native said. “This impeachment rally drew me because it just needs to be done. He’s defied the constitution. He shouldn’t be president.”
Her friend Ann McGregor, 53, added, “He’s a laughingstock – an international embarrassment.”
Raymon Grossman attended the rally with his wife, Darlene. “We both feel strongly about this,” he said. “It’s not just the issues, but the way he treats other people. I really believe he’s generating hate.”
Although she has no experience organizing protests, Dalnes said she felt she had to do something.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” she said. “But I’m scared about a lot of things. This is my why of changing that.”
Jay Becker, left, rallies the crowd of about 50 protesters at an Impeachment March on Sunday. | Emily Moon/Sun-Times
