This past weekend, Illinois saw tens of thousands of residents take to the streets as part of the nationwide “Hands Off!” protests against President Donald Trump and his advisor Elon Musk. Demonstrations occurred in over 30 cities across the state, including major urban centers like Chicago, Springfield, Urbana, DeKalb, Joliet, and Freeport. Protesters voiced concerns over federal policies impacting immigration, voting rights, LGBTQ+ protections, education, social security, Medicaid, and Medicare cuts.

The largest demonstration in Illinois took place in downtown Chicago, where an estimated 30,000 people flooded the Loop. Protesters chanted slogans like “This is what democracy looks like!” and carried handmade signs denouncing Trump’s administration and Musk’s role in federal decision-making.

In Springfield, protesters gathered near the State Capitol to demand an end to what organizers described as a “billionaire takeover” of government policies. Urbana also saw a significant turnout of nearly 1,000 people, while Gurnee reported over 3,000 participants.

The protests in Illinois were part of a larger National Day of Action, aimed at standing up against threats to democracy. Nationwide, an estimated 5 million people participated in “Hands Off!” protests to highlight opposition to policies and actions implemented by the Republican Party since January 20. Organizers later estimated that millions may have joined globally in solidarity events held in cities like London and Toronto.

The movement has been fueled by widespread dissatisfaction with Trump’s policies on immigration enforcement, mass layoffs of federal employees, and Musk’s controversial role in government affairs. 

Pastor Joe Mitchell of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in DeKalb told Northern Public Radio, “In the words of Dr. King, our nation is morally bankrupt right now. We send money, billions of dollars, to take other people’s lives, and at the same time, we’re taking away money from food pantries. We’re taking away money from Meals on Wheels. We’re taking away money from the most vulnerable people in our society, and that should be a problem for everybody. From this moment on, we organize, we educate and we participate. Moving forward, we are the people and we have the power.”

Research by political scientist Erica Chenoweth suggests that governments cannot withstand the challenge of sustained, nonviolent protests involving at least 3.5% of their population. Her research analyzed over 300 major uprisings between 1900 and 2006, comparing the success rates of violent and nonviolent campaigns. Only once, in Bahrain, did the regime take hold with 6% of the population in protest.

She found that nonviolent movements were twice as likely to succeed as violent ones, and those that mobilized at least 3.5% of the population created significant political pressure on regimes, often leading to defections within ruling coalitions and forcing change.

In the United States, activists have drawn on this research to strategize against rising authoritarian tendencies. For example, during recent “No King” protests organized by the 50501 Movement, participants emphasized their commitment to achieving this critical threshold to resist policies perceived as undermining democracy.