Trump Rally Planned Friday Near Coronavirus Death Scoreboard

NORTHBROOK, IL — Last weekend, Glenbrook North High School junior Peter Christos said he was attacked for holding up a "Trump 2020" flag and supporting the president near a controversial display in Northbrook. He's hoping things are less confrontational Friday as he is organizing a "Power to the People" rally across the street from the "COVID Death Scoreboard" location in Triangle Park, at Shermer Road and Walters Avenue.

"We will be rallying for the reopening of schools, support of law enforcement and for 'Trump 2020,'" Christos told Patch of the event scheduled from 5-9 p.m. "This will be a peaceful event for all conservatives in the local area to come and attend with their families."

The "COVID Death Scoreboard" was created by Northbrook resident Lee Goodman, of Peaceful Communities, a social action organization made up of volunteers. It depicts the number of deaths attributed to the coronavirus in the United States. Since it went up last Friday, Goodman says it has been vandalized five times.

The latest incident came on Tuesday night when it was spray-painted with graffiti. Most of the paint was used to obscure Trump's name. During the time the incident was happening, on a day the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus hit 200,000, the Northbook Village Board was discussing whether to allow the display to remain in place. At its regular meeting, and on the advice of Village Attorney Steven Elrod, the board decided that removing the display would violate the First Amendment and is not taking action at this time.

Cheryl Fayne, communications manager for the Village of Northbrook, told Patch Wednesday that the village ordinance regarding political signage is in the process of being changed.

Christos said he's disappointed supporters of his rally vandalized Goodman's sign.

"Division like this on both sides is sad for both parties," Christos said. "Even though I disagree with Mr.Goodman's message, I think he did not deserve to have his sign vandalized because it is his property, and he has the same rights as us to share opinions."

Christos, a moderator of the "Conservatives of GBN" Instagram page, is asking participants in Friday's rally to bring flags, signs and friends. He said he has also invited the Northbrook Black Lives Matter group to attend the rally to "talk and debate."

"I think that if one group of people can share their opinions in Northbrook, us conservatives can have the right do so as well," Christos said.

In the short video from last weekend's rally, shared with Patch, a man is seen grabbing a "Trump 2020" flag from Christos and his group with some pushing and shoving happening between the involved parties. According to eyewitnesses, the man pulled up in his car, got out and approached the group. The video originally accompanied this story, but was flagged by YouTube for violating Community Guidelines and was removed by YouTube.

"We were attacked last weekend and it really shows how tolerant the 'left' was," Christos said. "It was sad to see that people in our community would turn on each other to the point of physically assaulting us Trump supporters because of our political beliefs.

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