Stationed outside the Porter County courthouse near the intersection of East Lincolnway and South Washington Street, Gail Lutze, 84, sat with her walker and a “No Kings” sign, bundled up in a coat and hat.
Lutze was one of more than 1,000 protestors in Valparaiso Saturday, and she participated in honor of her late husband Karl Lutze’s memory. Karl Lutze was a former Valparaiso University theology professor, and he served on the staff of the Lutheran Human Relations Association of America. Karl Lutze died in May 2015 at 94 years old.
“He walked with Martin Luther King Jr.,” Gail Lutze said late Saturday morning. “There are things that are scary, but then events like this help, and it makes you feel more positive. … We’ve got to make this world better for the younger generations.”
Protestors lined sidewalks in downtown Valparaiso for the third “No Kings” demonstration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. A large group started at Valparaiso City Hall before marching down to the courthouse and around the square.
The Valparaiso protest was one of about 3,000 demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s administration nationwide. Saturday’s “No Kings” rally was the third in Valparaiso, with the previous in October drawing more than 1,000 participants as well.
Timothy Leitzke, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church and Valparaiso resident, talked to demonstrators via megaphone at Valparaiso City Hall before their march to the Porter County courthouse and around the square.
“Freedom is part of who we are,” Leitzke said. “That’s why we’re here. You may recognize that rights have been taken away for a long time, or you may have recognized that only recently. The point is that we recognize it, and we understand that this isn’t what we want.”
Police officers and organizers stood at street corners, ensuring that demonstrators made their way down crosswalks when “walk” lights were on and traffic wouldn’t be disrupted. The majority of participants stopped in front of the Porter County courthouse.
Saturday was the first time that Leitzke participated in a “No Kings” protest, but he said he was happy to participate. Leitzke saw multiple signs referencing Christianity — including one saying, “Jesus would be marching with us.”
“We’re coming up on Palm Sunday, and Palm Sunday was a protest,” Leitzke said, referring to the Christian holiday that celebrates Jesus’ return to Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week. “These folks are here doing what he would be doing.”
Counterprotestors were also present in Valparaiso, including Scott and Pam Manos, a married couple from Wanatah. The couple stood on a street corner on the intersection of Lincolnway and Lafayette Street, holding anti-abortion signs.
“We’re just bringing a little bit more awareness to a subject that we do feel passionate about,” Scott Manos, 45, said. “This is not even, dare I say, that we’re in disagreement with the people that are out here today.”
Pam Manos, 57, said the couple wants to unite with those they disagree with to solve larger issues nationwide, such as protecting children. The couple talked with “No Kings” protestors Saturday, and Pam Manos said they received mixed responses.
“Some people are very angry, and they have their opinion and don’t want to hear anybody else’s side,” Pam Manos said. “But, I believe we can come to an agreement and understand each other, which is the way it should be.”
Judie Allen, a 75-year-old Valparaiso resident, sat just down the sidewalk from Valparaiso City Hall with a sign saying, “Democracy dies in silence.” Allen attended previous “No Kings” protests, and she joins weekly protests in the city.
It’s easy to feel helpless, Allen said, but protesting is one thing she can do to help.
“I can’t be quiet with the insanity and the cruelty and the hatred that’s going on,” Allen said. “I’ve got eight grandkids, and I want a better world for all of them.”
Allen is retired and on a fixed income, and she’s concerned about how Trump’s policies affect the economy. However, on Saturday, Allen said she was more focused on having empathy for others.
“My heart hurts for the immigrants,” Allen said. “I hurt for all the other people that are being treated with such hatred. We’re going back to a more primitive time. … It’s just really frightening.”
In late 2025, Northwest Indiana saw increased immigration arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, specifically in Hammond, East Chicago and Gary, as Lake County was included in the immigration crackdown in Chicago, “Operation Midway Blitz.” ICE involvement in Minneapolis led to the deaths of two American citizens, who were shot and killed by ICE agents.
Westville resident Jack Neuliep, 72, also joined Saturday’s protest to fight for younger generations, he said. Neuliep walked around downtown Valparaiso with an American flag and an anti-Trump drawing attached to the pole.
“I believe in our country,” he said. “And I think we’re in grave danger of being destroyed. … I always believe in doing the right thing, and there’s so many things that Trump is doing that are not the right thing.”
Isabella Nowka, 17, and Stefanie Kiest, 41, were two other participants in Saturday’s protest. The pair had a sign proclaiming, “Activism is equal parts radical love and burning fury,” and they had temporary face tattoos that said, “No kings,” with a crown.
“We have a family birthday party after this, and they’re mostly MAGA (supporters),” Kiest said. “So we were like, ‘You know what? We’re going to do it all day.’”
The Chesterton residents are mother and daughter, and it was Nowka’s idea to join.
“She, every day, talks about something new that is extremely bothersome,” Kiest said about Nowka. “She’s growing up in a world where things are changing and not for the better, especially for women.”
Nowka said her biggest concern is the SAVE America Act, which would require voters nationwide to provide proof of citizenship when they register and to show accepted voter identification when casting a ballot. If passed, the legislation would require voters to provide a passport or birth certificate when registering to vote.
Opponents of the bill say those documents aren’t always readily available for many people, and it would unfairly penalize young people registering to vote for the first time, married women who change their names, and people who cannot travel to present their documents, according to Post-Tribune archives.
As she gets ready to vote for the first time, Nowka is “really worried” about the SAVE Act.
“There’s going to be so many women who can’t vote now,” Nowka said. “And there’s a lot of people who can’t afford their passports. … It just really cuts into how women, particularly, can vote.”
Jacob Steele, a 33-year-old Valparaiso resident, attended Saturday’s demonstration with his dog, Finn. While Finn likes being outside in the sunlight, Steele participated in the demonstration because he’s angry.
“The attacks on democracy are pretty bad,” Steele said. “The signs of fascism are too hard to ignore, and I can no longer sit around and watch this happen.”
Saturday’s “No Kings” protest was the first Steele attended. His main concerns are rising utility costs, the conflict in Iran and the increase of data centers nationwide.
As he was surrounded by about 1,000 other participants, Steele knew he’s not alone in his anger.
“I thought I was alone,” Steele said. “It’s actually really relieving, if anything, that I hear the cheers of my fellow Americans who are standing up.”
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com
