No Kings Day: How organizers and local law enforcement are making safety the priority

BLOOMINGTON (25News Now) - As protesters across the nation prepare for No Kings Day, Bloomington is among the municipalities seeing a local protest.

The organizers, Voices of Reason and Bloomington 50501, are expecting hundreds of protesters at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday afternoon. While they want their message to be powerful, it will be delivered with peace.

From Los Angeles to New York, immigration protests have swept across the country. Capping off the week, 1,800 No Kings Day events are expected nationwide across every state.

Bloomington joins the list of over 40 Illinois communities participating in the protest.

“The goal is to help connect, to stand up to show that in our community, there is an opposition to so many of the things that have been happening,” said Jodie Slothower, the leader for Voices of Reason, an indivisible group.

The national movement, held on President Donald Trump’s birthday, is an action to push back against what organizers call the rising authoritarianism.

The Twin Cities expect more than 500 protestors, but emphasize it will be peaceful.

Organizers have undergone de-escalation training with the Bloomington Police Department to ensure Saturday’s event stays safe.

“I think if people feel a closer connection to their police, the whole premise behind the community engagement unit, that if you believe that the police are there to protect you and that they represent you and that they understand what you are going through, you are going to be more likely to listen to us, use us and utilize our services,” said Sergeant Kiel Nowers, the head of the community engagement unit for BPD.

Nowers added that knowing one’s rights and limits as a protester is key to safe demonstrations, such as ensuring you do not block public ways. Another key takeaway of his: practicing empathy.

“Don’t threaten anyone, please don’t use any derogatory names or get in anybody’s space and try to block them from what they are doing,” Nowers said. “If you want to have discussions, that’s what we’re supposed to do, but we should have peaceful and reasonable disagreements, and allow people to try to figure out what’s going on with somebody’s life and why they are feeling those ways.”

“This is what it’s about: to stand up for what we believe in,” said Slothower.

Saturday’s protest will have police present and designated safety coordinators. The Bloomington Police Department also offers de-escalation to the community free of charge.

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