Hundreds attended a “Workers Over Billionaires” protest on Labor Day in McHenry, with organizers saying Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” has turned the government into a “private slush fund for billionaires.”
Indivisible McHenry County hosted the peaceful protest rally, dubbed “Workers Over Billionaires,” on Labor Day on Monday.
Sue Rose of Indivisible McHenry County said the roadside rally took place on Route 31 at McCullom Lake Road in McHenry from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Hundreds of “Workers Over Billionaires” rallies were held on Monday throughout the United States as part of a national day of action for Labor Day.
Indivisible McHenry County said they are a non-partisan group of progressive individuals who value democracy.
“We are a local chapter of the national Indivisible organization. The love for democracy is strong here in McHenry County,” Rose said.
“Our chapter began approximately 5 months ago and it [has] already grown to more than 2,000 members,” she said.
Hundreds of protesters lined a long stretch of Route 31 during the event. Rose said she counted at least 600 people who attended.
The organization said President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” has turned the government into a “private slush fund for billionaires.”
“It takes money from working class Americans and gives it to the rich, and it is also being used to fund a huge army of ICE agents,” an event promotion for the protest said.
“The way we stop the billionaire takeover is with collective action. We need to let them know that we are rising up to stop their takeover–not just through the ballot box or the courts, but also through building a bigger and stronger resistance movement,” Indivisible McHenry County said.
“We are fighting for our right to have a country that is fair, just, and equitable for everyone, not just for a chosen few. We are fighting for our freedoms,” the organization added.
Indivisible McHenry County said some of its demands include stopping the “billionaire takeover that is corrupting our government,” protecting Medicaid, Social Security and other essential programs, fully funding schools, and making healthcare and safe affordable housing available to all.
The group also called for the government to invest in people and not wars and for a stop to attacks on immigrants, Black people, indigenous people and transgender people.