More than 100 people turned out in downtown Peoria Sunday afternoon, despite the cold, to protest President Trump's recent executive order barring immigrants and refugees from seven countries.
Becca Taylor sent out the Facebook message that created the No Ban No Wall protest at the federal courthouse in Peoria. Those in attendance carried signs, chanted and cheered when passing motorist honked in support.
Taylor says she and a few friends were talking about doing an organized rally in a week or so, but the executive orders restricting travel into the U.S. by visa and green card-holding foreign nationals at airports across the country made them decide to push ahead with the peaceful protest.
Taylor says, “I just think it’s so import to show the community here, that we stand with them and we are not putting up with this and also to show Muslims and refugees all around the country this is not acceptable.”
Taylor says the airport detentions didn’t make sense to her and that was the call to action for many who don’t want to stand idly by.
“There are people who’ve already been through the vetting process. You know a two year process, is a very rigorous process and they are being turned away at the last second and that’s not fair. There are people who have already established residency here and are members of their community, who are being turned away and in limbo and their lives are being disrupted.”
Taylor says she believes it’s the responsibility of anyone who disagrees with the administration's anti-immigration, anti-Muslim practices to stand up and say so.
The idea for the event was posted on Facebook about 9:00a.m. Sunday. The loosely-organized group gathered in front of the federal courthouse Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00p.m.