A protester with a megaphone in front of Water Tower Place mall. Water Tower Park, 11/28/25.

By Dominic Guanzon

Friday, 11/28/25

THE MAG MILE, FRIDAY, 11/28/25 — About 50 protesters came out for “Black Out Black Friday” at Water Tower Park, as organized by the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA).

“They tell us it’s business as usual,” said Brian of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), with the crowd actively responding.

“When they sign a blank check and send it over to Israel to kill Palestinian babies. You know what they say? ‘It’s business as usual!’ They look at us when we say ‘fund our schools. Fund our communities. ‘When we say ‘community control of the police.’ Guess what they tell us? ‘It’s business as usual!’”

Brian of CAARPR sheds a tear while giving an impassioned speech. Water Tower Park, 11/28/25.

Speakers talked on a variety of issues, including cutting of federal benefits by the administration, the recent immigration raids, continued bombing in Palestine, and the dissonance of disinvestment during Black Friday.

Regardless of the topic, all of it sat firmly under the umbrella of an anti-Trump, anti-MAGA theme.

“There are people right now in this administration, who are literally signing documents to starve United States citizens,” said Rev. Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, Executive Director of Live Free Illinois. “…people who are signing documents who are kidnapping…children, women who are out working, trying to provide a way for their families, kidnapping them off the street. I’m telling people, we have to decide which side are we standing on today?”

Rev. Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, Executive Director of Live Free Illinois. Water Tower Park, 11/28/25.

The event originally called for a march down the Magnificent Mile, a hot spot for demonstrations due to the presence of high-profile stores. However, citing a lack of numbers, organizers called off the march, telling people to stay warm.

Legal observers from the National Lawyers Guild were present for a moderate police presence. No incidents were personally observed.