Group Plans Protest Against Bolingbrook Mayor, Donald Trump

A grassroots group said it's planning to protest a planned grand opening of the Bolingbrook First campaign headquarters on Monday, Feb. 6.

A Facebook group called "Vote Roger Claar Out in 2017" is asking community members to become part of a physical and virtual protest via a "Protest Roger Claar and Donald Trump!" event.

According to the event page, the group takes issue with "(Claar's) high-dollar fundraiser in Bolingbrook for Donald Trump, his never ending support for him" and accuses the mayor of a "long list of questionable decisions for the village."

RELATED: Donald Trump's Bolingbrook Fundraiser Brings Out Supporters, Opponents

The long-serving mayor and the Bolingbrook First slate are seeking reelection in April. Candidates are:

• Claar, currently in his 30th year as mayor
• Village Clerk Carol Penning, now in her seventh term
• Trustee Mike Lawler, who has served on the board since 1995
• Trustee candidate Shelton L. Watts, who was recently sworn in to fill a vacancy on the village board
• Trustee Maria A. Zarate, elected in 2013

A grand opening at the Bolingbrook First campaign headquarters, 128 E. Boughton Road, is slated for 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 6.

"Bring your friends and family to meet and mingle with the candidates, and feel free to pick up a yard sign while you're at it," the Facebook event page for the grand opening said. "We look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones."

Reached via Facebook, the organizers of the protest said they did wish to be identified, but stated that the page is not run by members of the Bolingbrook First opponents "Bolingbrook United."

"For various reasons we have kept our identities confidential - including to avoid potential targeting from the mayor in retribution for opposing him publicly," the group told Patch.

As of Monday afternoon, 20 people had indicated they are "interested" in the Feb. 6 demonstration while five have marked themselves as "going"

"It's also a 'virtual' protest," the group said. "We want not only people to show up in person but if they are unable to do so then to simply mark that they are 'interested' in the event."

Claar did not immediately respond to an email from Patch on Monday afternoon.

While it denied affiliation with Bolingbrook United, the protest group did say it supports the slate's mayoral candidate, current Will County board member Jackie Traynere, saying it is looking for a "breath of fresh air."

The group also said it backs the rest of the Bolingbrook United slate of labor attorney Jaime Olson for village clerk and trustee candidates Robert Jaskiewicz, owner of a business lending firm; Mary Helen Reyna, owner of a firm that specializes in immigration law; and Terri Ransom, an IT consultant.

"The reality in Bolingbrook is that the same man has been in office for over 30 years and for at least the last 16 years there has been no other candidate's name on the actual ballot and we desperately need a change," the group told Patch in an email. "(Claar's) His failure to distance himself from Trump's actions over the past few days against Muslims is further evidence of the fact that he's lost touch with our diverse community."

Also read: Donald Trump's Bolingbrook Fundraiser Brings Out Supporters, Opponents