Jane Whidbey, 73, came to Saturday’s “No Kings” protests in Gary wearing a cardboard crown, a flashlight topped with a plastic flame, and a shawl wrapped around her. Her cardboard banner highlighted the end of the Pledge of Allegiance: In Liberty and Justice for All.
“The Statue of Liberty has become a sign of refuge for people, and it is being destroyed,” Woodby said. “This administration needs to know how many people don’t support the things they do.”
Whedbee was one of about 400 people packed along the four corners of U.S. 12 and Route 20, near the Miller train station, to participate in the national No Kings protest.
The national No Kings movement opposes the actions of President Donald Trump and his administration, such as targeting immigrant families, destroying health care, and rigging congressional maps, among other things, according to its website.
Woodby, a Gary resident, said she is terrified every time she sees news reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers taking immigrants from their homes, jobs or out of their children’s school.
“It’s like the Gestapo. They take citizens. They take people who haven’t committed a crime,” Woodby said.
Looking to the future, Wahdabi said she worries about farmworkers, food quality and access, health care and the cost of living.
“It’s going to look bad to everyone who’s not wealthy,” Woodby said.
Irene Carrion, 39, who carried 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 depriving the American people of.
“People are being kidnapped from their communities. A lot is happening. So I thought it was important to be here,” Carrion said. “It is truly terrible. We have to stand shoulder to shoulder with our neighbors.”
Carrion said the protest gave her hope, because it shows people are fighting back. Carreon, a Gary resident, said people can get involved by protesting outside the Gary/Chicago airport, which Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses to deport people.
Linda Hart (64 years old) carried a flag that said, “We the people” and “There are no kings in America,” and waved it as cars passed and honked their horns in support.
“I’m tired of Trump and his people. They’re tearing America apart,” Hart said.
Hart, who grew up in Gary, said she is a former federal employee who retired before the government shutdown. Some of her friends and former co-workers have told her they’ve been asked to reapply for their jobs, and they’re worried they won’t get rehired.
Furthermore, Hart said she is concerned about the pressure the Trump administration is putting on Republican lawmakers in Indiana to redistrict before the 2026 midterm elections. Typically, redistricting is done after census data is released.
“I think they’re just trying to steal the election,” Hart said.
While no decision has been made on holding a special session to address redistricting, Gov. Mike Brown has indicated that the Legislature could meet as soon as November to vote on redistricting. Brown noted that failure to redistrict would lead to retaliation from the Trump administration. Vice President J.D. Vance made two visits to Indiana to speak with Brown and Republican legislative leaders, and on Friday Trump called lawmakers including Senate President Roderick Bray, R-Martinsville, according to a New York Times report.
Woodby 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 controlled by Republicans and two are controlled by Democrats, 1st District U.S. Rep. Frank Marvan, D-Highland, and 7th District U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, D-Indianapolis.
“We’re already largely Republicans,” Woodby said. “That’s part of the cowardice and the fear.”
Charles Van Cleave, 66, said the prospect of redistricting in Indiana is “disgusting” because it would affect the 1st Congressional District, which covers northwest Indiana and is currently represented by Marvan.
“Our little corner has to have a voice,” Van Cleave said.
Van Cleave, a Portage resident, held a sign that read “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,” Van Cleef said.
Zachary Greenwood, 31, said he came to the protest because “there is strength in numbers.” After 10 months in the Trump administration, Greenwood said things were not looking good.
“Things are starting to get interesting, and I’m starting to see what the point of this is,” Greenwood said.
But Greenwood said peaceful protest and resistance to bad policies is the way forward.
“If we take more action on this, we can fight it,” Greenwood said.
akukulka@post-trib.com