Downtown Chicago witnessed a significant turnout for the coordinated ‘No Kings’ protest on Saturday, coinciding with a military parade in Washington, D.C., marking the Army’s 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
Although estimates of crowd size varied widely, sources suggested attendance numbers ranged from 15,000 to 75,000 individuals.
However, crowd-size experts believe the actual turnout was more realistically between 10,000 to 15,000.
G. Keith Still, a professor of crowd science at the University of Suffolk in the U.K., analyzed the protest and noted that this attendance level is typical for a peaceful demonstration.
Still observed that the movement and density of the crowd indicated it was well-managed and organized, with police effectively coordinating with protest organizers.
His estimate, based on photos and videos, suggested a density of about 1 to 2 individuals per square meter, with Daley Plaza covering approximately 10,000 square meters.
The Chicago police estimated the crowd to be around 15,000, a figure that aligns more closely with Still’s assessment compared to the higher estimate of 75,000 reported by the advocacy group Indivisible Chicago.
‘Police officers are trained to do accurate crowd counts, crucial for budgetary purposes, so they usually provide accurate estimates,’ Still stated, further explaining that training helps police evaluate crowd densities effectively.
The protests in Chicago were part of a broader wave of demonstrations across several cities, including Evanston, Oak Park, Des Plaines, Highland Park, and Geneva, as well as numerous small towns nationwide.
These recent rallies come amid escalating tensions regarding President Trump’s policies, which led to the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles—marking the first time in six decades a U.S. president requested National Guard assistance without a governor’s call.
Trump defended this unusual action as a measure to safeguard federal property against protests related to immigration enforcement by ICE agents, labeling the demonstrators as ‘paid insurrectionists.’
Fortunately, the Chicago protest remained mostly peaceful throughout the day.
One notable incident involved the arrest of a 16-year-old boy on two felony counts of aggravated battery against a police officer.
Additionally, four individuals faced obstruction charges near Ida B. Wells Drive and Clark Street, while six more were arrested in the Loop, with five charged with reckless conduct and one for resisting a peace officer.
As the day concluded, organizers and demonstrators alike reflected on the solidarity and commitment shown in the heart of Chicago, amidst an increasingly polarized national dialogue.
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