Jane Whedbee, 73, came to the Saturday’s No Kings protest in Gary wearing a cardboard crown, a flashlight with a plastic flame on top, and a shawl wrapped around her. Her cardboard sign highlighted the end of the Pledge of Allegiance: With liberty and justice for all.
“The Statue of Liberty became a sign of a haven for people, and it’s being trashed,” Whedbee said. “This administration needs to see how many people aren’t on board with the things they are doing.”
Whedbee was one of around 400 people packed along the four corners of U.S. 12 and Route 20, near the Miller train station, participating in the national No Kings protest.
The national No Kings movement opposes President Donald Trump and his administration’s actions, like targeting immigrant families, gutting healthcare, rigging Congressional maps, among other things, according to its website.
Whedbee, a Gary resident, said she’s horrified every time she sees news reports about Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers taking immigrants from their homes, jobs or outside their children’s school.
“It’s like the Gestapo. They are taking citizens. They are taking people who haven’t committed a crime,” Whedbee said.
Looking to the future, Whedbee said she’s concerned for farm workers, food quality and access, healthcare and the cost of living.
“It’s going to look bad for everybody who isn’t rich,” Whedbee said.
Erin Carreon, 39, who held a poster with the message “fight ignorance not immigrants,” said it’s hard to sleep at night because of all the things the Trump administration is taking away from the American people.
“People are being kidnapped from their communities. So much is happening. So I thought it was important to be here,” Carreon said. “It’s really terrible. We have to stand together with our neighbors.”
The protest gave her hope, Carreon said, because it shows that people are resisting. Carreon, a Gary resident, said people can get involved by protesting outside the Gary/Chicago Airport, which is used by ICE to deport people.
Linda Hart, 64, held a flag that read “We the People” and “No Kings in America” and waved it as cars drove by and honked in support.
“I’m tired of Trump and his people. They are tearing up America,” Hart said.
Hart, who grew up in Gary, said she is a former federal worker who retired before the government shutdown. Some of her friends and former coworkers have told her that they have been asked to reapply for their jobs, and they are concerned that they will not be rehired.
Further, Hart said she’s concerned about the pressure the Trump administration is putting on Indiana Republican legislators to redistrict ahead of the 2026 midterm election. Typically, redistricting occurs after census data is released.
“I think they are just trying to steal the election,” Hart said.
While no decision on a special session to address redistricting has been made, Gov. Mike Braun has signaled that the legislature could meet as soon as November to vote on redistricting. Braun signaled that to not redistrict would result in retribution from the Trump Administration. Vice President JD Vance has made two visits to Indiana to talk with Braun and Republican legislative leaders, and on Friday Trump called lawmakers including Senate President Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, according to a New York Times report.
Whedbee said Indiana’s redistricting efforts are “terrible” because the state is already heavily represented by Republicans. Currently, seven of Indiana’s nine Congressional districts are held by Republicans and two are held by Democrats, District 1 U.S Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, and District 7 U.S. Rep. André Carson, D-Indianapolis.
“We are already heavily Republican. That’s a part of cowardice and fear,” Whedbee said.
Charles VanCleef, 66, said potentially redistricting Indiana is “disgusting” because it will impact the first congressional district, which covers Northwest Indiana and is currently represented by Mrvan.
“Our little corner should have a voice,” VanCleef said.
VanCleef, a Portage resident, held a sign that said “no kings” on one side and “no kings, no fascists, no Nazis and no Trump” on the other side. He said he came to the protest to continue his grandfather’s legacy.
“My grandfather almost died in World War II fighting fascists. I think I owe it to him to be here,” VanCleef said.
Zachary Greenwood, 31, said he came to the protest because “there’s power in numbers.” After 10 months into the Trump administration, Greenwood said things aren’t looking good.
“The stuff is starting to hit the fan, and I’m starting to see what’s for what,” Greenwood said.
But, Greenwood said peacefully protesting and resisting bad policies is the way to move forward.
“If we take more action on it, we can fight it,” Greenwood said.
