Donald Trump Lovers, Haters Protest in Joliet

JOLIET, IL — Passions were as high as the temperature Thursday in Joliet as protesters took to the sidewalks to show their love and hate for Donald Trump.

The protest against Trump was organized by the Will County Progressives, who took to the sidewalk outside the White Castle on West Jefferson Street with signs saying “Never Trump.”

As motorists drove by, some honked their horns in support. Others gave them the finger. One car full of people yelled out “F--k you, f--k you.”

Suzanna Ibarra, Will County Progressives major event coordinator, said the protest Thursday was part of a large event going on across the country.

“We partnered with 350 Action, United We Stand, Moveon.org, People for the American Way and more. We are very against Trump, and Trump is racist,” Ibarra said.

According to Ibarra, protests were held earlier Thursday morning in Chicago, Philadelphia, Colorado and Arizona, coordinated by the organization NextGen Climate Change.

Will County Progressives Chair Nicki Serbin said she was approached by young Trump supporters and tried to engage in a conversation with them, but they weren’t willing to discuss.

“I can’t reason with the unreasonable,” Serbin said. Despite that, she was glad to see people engaged in the political process.

Serbin said she believes Trump represents the ugly underbelly of who we are.

“He is the picture of opulence, wealth, greed, misguided rage and just pure ignorance,” Serbin said. “He has that vile, racist side.”

She's also concerned about what the future has in store for her 7-year-old daughter if Trump were to become president.

“That pig says awful things and he dehumanizes women,” Serbin said. “Talking about women on ratings scales, talking about women based on what they can do for him and whether or not he wants to engage in sexual relations with them. That is the qualifier for him.”

In addition, Serbin said Trump wanting to throw out people who were brought to the country illegally when they were children is not fair.

So, does Trump have ANY redeeming qualities?

“He’s going to make it a lot easier for Hillary Clinton to win,” she said. “He’s also sabotaging the entire Republican ticket all the way down.”

Across the street, a small group of protesters in support of Trump held up their signs proudly.

Born-and-raised Joliet resident Douglas Gould said he fully supports the anti-Trump people in their right to protest, he just doesn’t agree with what they have to say. He was also unhappy with the way some of the anti-Trump people reacted to their presence.

“There was a group of some angry Spanish Americans who were throwing things at us,” Gould said. “They threw a Gatorade bottle on us and said we’re gonna beat your ass.”

Gould said they took off when they saw a cop across the street.

“I don’t understand why they have to get violent about things,” he said. “Everybody has the right to free speech. I am for Trump, they’re against Trump. They have a right to speak their mind, we have a right to speak ours. That’s what makes America great, and we need to make America great again.”

Marc Lopez Kaufman, Joliet Junior College assistant professor of English and communications director for the Will County Progressives, said he was “disheartened and disgusted" to learn of the unruly behavior committed against the pro-Trump demonstrators, adding that those people were not part of the Will County Progressives.

“As Joliet Police can confirm, our members stayed on the northwest corner of Jefferson and Larkin for the entirety of the event, separate from the counter-demonstration,” Kaufman said in an email. “In fact, we dealt with similar harassment from members of the public: police twice intervened on our behalf when unruly citizens aggressively affronted us. We condemn any action that would attempt to harass or intimidate anyone exercising their First Amendment right to assembly, no matter what their political beliefs may be."

Gould said he acknowledges that Trump is part of the elite, but he wants to make things great for everyone.

“Being the businessman that he is, if the regular American person is dead broke, they can’t spend money in his casinos,” Gould said. “In order for him to make money, we have to make money.”

Trump will bring industry back to the United States, Gould said, adding that his China-made “Make America Great Again” hats came about as a matter of necessity.

“Nobody’s making them here in America anymore, and that’s the problem,” Gould said.

If manufacturing is brought back to the U.S., there will be less crime, less poverty, less people on welfare and more people feeling better about themselves, Gould said.

Gould said he is in favor of immigration, but it needs to be legal immigration.

“We must have a wall to stop the illegal immigrants,” he said. “We have too many illegals coming through.”

Illegal is the key word for Gould. As long as immigrants are properly vetted and come into the U.S. legally, he has no problem with them.

“A lot of criminals are coming in, a lot of terrorists are coming in,” he said. “I strongly believe in a strong border. It’s time to put up a no vacancy sign.”

Gould said he’s all for helping other people around the world, but the U.S. needs to worry about its own problems first.

And does he think Hillary has ANY redeeming qualities?

“To be kind, she is nothing but dishonest and a liar,” Gould said.

Channahon resident Gloria Cook said she likes Trump because it’s time to put personal agendas aside and save America.

“We’ve got a Supreme Court justice to put in, and if it goes to Hillary or the Democrats, we’re screwed. We’ll lose our Second Amendment rights. A lot of things are going to change,” Cook said.

And does she find anything redeeming about Hillary?

“Absolutely nothing. America deserves better than Hillary,” Cook said.