No Kings protest and Easter egg hunt share downtown Belleville for a day
.jpeg "A No Kings protester holding a Donald Trump sign with a movable mouth stops in front of Sugar High Bakery & Cafe in downtown Belleville as children chat with the Easter bunny.")
It was an unusual juxtaposition in downtown Belleville on Saturday: dozens of children carrying baskets full of Easter eggs and hundreds of protesters holding signs with slogans such as “Dump Trump,” “USA in Crisis” and “Fascism is not Patriotic.”
The protesters were part of the No Kings movement, which had designated March 28 as its third national day of protest against what supporters see as rising authoritarianism and threats to democracy in the United States under President Donald Trump.
The children were part of the Downtown Belleville Family Egg Hunt, which had them competing for prizes and searching for hidden Easter eggs at participating businesses.
“There was a guy cursing on his bullhorn, and I’m glad he stopped,” said Chris Kane, who was dressed as a giant Easter bunny outside Sugar High Bakery & Cafe. “Other than that, it’s been great.”
Lizzi Reinard and Kristin Weber said they had no problem with the protest, but they wished it had occurred on a different day.
Each had brought their two children, ages 5 to 11, for the egg hunt. They had them close their eyes on Belleville Public Square, where most of the protesters were standing, because of signs with slogans that weren’t “family friendly,” including “F--- Trump.”
“It was a little disruptive and unexpected to have (the two events) on the same day,” said Reinard, 43, of Granite City.
Rosemary Hamann, who was working at The Candy Bar and The Tea Spot, had a different take. She said the egg hunt was a big hit with children and the protest boosted business.
Amber Kane, Chris Kane’s wife and owner of Sugar High, agreed. She had organized the egg hunt and recruited about 20 businesses along Main Street to participate.
Amber Kane said her goal was to bring people to downtown Belleville for shopping, eating, drinking and other fun, and the protest added to the lively atmosphere.
“This is a peaceful protest,” she said. “We’ve had tons of families go through. It’s been packed.”
Kane estimated that 150 children participated in the egg hunt. She said other business owners reached out to tell her that they were “slammed” with business in a good way.
Protests throughout region
No Kings is a network of progressive organizations, led by Indivisible, which held national protests in June and October. At least seven million people participated in the latter, according to its website.
More than a dozen protests took place in the St. Louis area on Saturday, including in Belleville, Alton, O’Fallon, Edwardsville, Columbia, Staunton and Greenville in southeastern Illinois.
The Belleville protest was organized by Indivisible Metro East, led by attorney Alex Enyart, 40.
“I don’t want Americans to live under an Evangelical Christian fascist regime,” he said. “And we are seeing an unconstitutional expansion of federal powers in terms of President Trump using ICE as his personal Gestapo.”
Enyart was referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has been criticized for methods used in locating, arresting and deporting people living in the country illegally.
Megan McCarron, 42, of Belleville, said she became an organizer with Indivisible Metro East after the death of protestor Alex Pretti, an American citizen and intensive-care nurse who was shot and killed on Jan. 25 by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
“I’m a nurse,” McCarron said. “That could have been me or any number of nurses that I’ve worked with. He was helping someone, and his murder should be investigated. People should be held accountable.”
McCarron carried a homemade street sign with the cross streets Democracy and Tyranny, representing a political crossroads.
Other protesters expressed concerns about the Epstein files, affordability, voting rights, freedom of speech, the Department of Government Efficiency, the environment and the war in Iran.
“I don’t agree with what Donald Trump is doing,” said Gene Schlattweiler, 79, of Belleville, a Vietnam veteran.
“He has ruined our relationships with our allies. He has alienated virtually all of them. They don’t trust us anymore. We used to be the go-to country, and now they don’t know what we’re going to do. I just find it interesting that a guy who dodged service is now starting a war all by himself.”
Sunny, festive environment
A sunny sky and mild temperatures in the 40s and 50s helped create a festive environment on Saturday. Some protesters brought lawn chairs. Others waved American flags, both upright and upside-down. A few dressed like characters, such as the Statue of Liberty.
Some protesters beat drums or blew horns. Others encouraged drivers circling the square to honk their horns in support, and when they did, the crowd erupted in cheers.
Co-organizer Kris Taylor used a bullhorn to send messages such as “This is what the founders warned us about: Democracy dies in silence” and to lead chants such as “The people united will never be defeated.”
“I’m pissed off at Donald Trump and his cronies,” said Taylor, 70, of Belleville, a retired Teamster and union steward.
“The list (of reasons) is too long. Recently, it’s this ridiculous thing he’s gotten us into in Iran, another forever war. This is a democracy, I thought. He has turned it into an oligarchy.”
Some protesters seemed to take special delight in coming up with clever or outrageous slogans for signs. One read, “The real terrorist sleeps in the White House.”
Cher Gagen-Wiltsie, 53, of Belleville, a child-welfare specialist, carried a sign that read, “Clean-up in Aisle 47,” referring to Trump’s place as the country’s 47th president.
“There’s more than 47 reasons why I’m here,” she said, adding that she has three children who don’t have very bright futures due to decreased job opportunities and the high cost of living.
Gagen-Wiltsie came to the protest with her son, Colin Wiltsie, 20, of Belleville, a musician who plans to start college this fall. He said he felt responsibility as a young person to stand up against a “corrupt” president who “stands for nothing but hate.”
Connor Yogore, 34, of Belleville, expressed concerns about freedom of speech and the press and immigrant rights.
“I’m terrified,” he said. “I was born here, but my dad is an immigrant (from the Philippines), and I have what some people think is a weird last name. ICE is arresting people for just having weird last names.”
Enyart estimated that 1,500 people participated in the protest, taking into account those who came and went throughout the four-hour period, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
No motorists tried to spread diesel fumes on the crowd, which has happened at past protests, according to Taylor.
“Belleville police have done everything they could to protect our freedom of speech, and we have done everything we could to keep it peaceful and leave (the square) spotless,” Enyart said.
This story was originally published March 28, 2026 at 5:52 PM.
