Around 15,000 protesters gathered in downtown Madison Saturday for the “Kick Out the Clowns” and “No Kings” protests, opposing the Trump Administration and recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) raids across the country.
The “No Kings” movement is a nationwide protest in defiance of President Donald Trump’s $45 million taxpayer-funded military parade on Saturday, marking 250 years of the U.S. Army and Trump’s birthday. Volunteers from local Indivisible groups, 50501, Badger Collective, Women’s March and more helped organize the two protests in Madison.
The first protest began at 12 p.m. with a “Kick Out the Clowns” event hosted by Women’s March — the organization behind the 2017 global protests following Trump’s inauguration — using humor as a form of protest. They encouraged attendees to dress in clown attire and provided clown noses, protest signs and crowns at stands scattered throughout the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Library Mall.
Protest attendee Lisa O’Donnell dressed in clown attire and traveled to Madison from Boston just for the “Kick Out the Clowns” protest.
“I think it's important for our voices to be heard and our heads to be counted, that we matter, and we don't agree [with the current administration],” O’Donnell told the Cardinal. “I'm happy that I'm fortunate enough that I can afford to fly out here, but it makes it that much more important for me to be here, because there are so many out there who can't.”
The event played popular music, featured people dressed in circus attire wandering around the area — including jugglers, a fortune teller and clowns — and had the 50501 Midway Free Market, offering free goods to everyone.
The “Kick Out the Clowns” protest included a skit by the 350 Wisconsin Action Art Collective mocking Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Trump’s birthday parade, featuring music and choreographed dancers.
Additionally, the protest had a musical performance by the Raging Grannies of Madison, speakers and “Three Rings on One Stage”— circus-like performances depicting different levels of government.
Following the “Kick Out the Clowns” protest, the crowd marched down State Street toward the State Capitol at 2 p.m. The Forward! Marching Band led the crowd playing their instruments while activists chanted “No Kings” and showcased their anti-Trump protest signs.
After concluding their walk around the Capitol Square, the protesters gathered in the East side yard of the Capitol for another Raging Grannies performance and listened to speakers at the top of the Capitol stairs.
Protestors target ICE
Protesters attended the protests to express opposition toward ICE and their raids, aiming to show support for immigrants and their families.
“I think now with the ICE raids, we're seeing a lot of people with hate against immigrants, and our country was built off of immigrants, and we really need to make sure that we're holding everybody's humanity in the forefront and really taking care of people,” Emily Swan, UW-Madison 2025 graduate, told the Cardinal.
Huma Ahsan, an immigration attorney with Madison Immigration Law and daughter of immigrant parents, denounced recent ICE actions and said due process erodes when ICE enters a Wisconsin courtroom without a judicial warrant.
“Everyday in Wisconsin I see immigrants stripped of their due process rights, targeted not because of what they’ve done, but because of who they are,” Ahsan said in a speech.
She discussed the economic contributions of immigrants, citing how over 70% of Wisconsin’s dairy industry workers are undocumented immigrants. She explained farms would fail and rural economies would suffer without them.
Ahsan also highlighted the social contributions of immigrants, saying international students, doctors and researchers fuel innovation in the state.
“When fear drives them away, it's not just families who suffer, it's the future of our state,” she said. “We are not threats to be monitored. We are neighbors, parents, business owners, teachers and yes, lawyers and a few judges. We are people who love this country deeply, so deeply that we endure unimaginable obstacles just to be a part of it. We are here not to undermine justice, but to uphold it.”
During her speech, Ahsan called on the Wisconsin Supreme Court to lift Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan’s suspension and provide a clear rule of court prohibiting ICE from making unwarranted arrests and detentions inside Wisconsin courtrooms.
Judge Dugan was arrested and charged with two federal counts in April after allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest after he appeared in her courtroom. She has since been suspended and will face trial on July 21 after a federal grand jury indicted her.
“Wisconsin courtrooms should never be transformed into hunting grounds for ICE. They must be sanctuaries of justice, not places where families are torn apart, but where families are put back together,” Ahsan said.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, founding Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, invited protestors to Madison and Milwaukee protests set for July 21, the same day as Judge Dugan’s trial, where they’re demanding the charges against her be dropped.
Zoey Elwood is copy chief for The Daily Cardinal. She also covers state news.
