Arlington Heights examines response to larger-than-expected protest

While vowing not to limit First Amendment rights, Arlington Heights officials say they’re going to examine how to better deal with big gatherings after the larger-than-expected protest that ended up on main streets last weekend.

An estimated 2,000 demonstrators attended the local “Hands Off!” protest of President Donald Trump and adviser Elon Musk Saturday afternoon in downtown Arlington Heights. The event started with a smaller rally at North School Park then grew as people marched down Arlington Heights Road to a second gathering spot at Northwest Highway.

That intersection was closed to vehicle traffic at one point for 20 to 25 minutes, village officials said.

“We’re looking very thoughtfully and are going to be working with organizers any time we have a big event,” said Village Manager Randy Recklaus. “What could we have done differently, what could the organizers have done differently, how could we have worked differently together and how could we have communicated this differently to minimize any disruption to the community in limitation of people and public safety vehicles moving through the area?”

Recklaus said he and his staff will look at village policies, practices, training and methods and report back to the village board.

At their meeting Monday night, the mayor and trustees offered varying views on the protest and degree to which it was safe.

Mayor Tom Hayes and others raised concern with demonstrators going onto busy streets near the train station, saying 2,000 people in close contact to moving cars and transit “creates a potential public safety hazard.”

“We’re not in any way trying to infringe on the constitutional right of freedom of speech and to protest and to assemble, but we do want to make sure it’s done safely,” Hayes said.

He said he showed up after the protest in his capacity as mayor to make sure the crowd was dispersing peacefully and that police officers were doing their jobs.

Trustee Jim Bertucci said the village needs to have a “game plan” for future protests. He said Arlington Heights Road and Northwest Highway are regional thoroughfares for emergency vehicles to get to Northwest Community Hospital.

“Twenty to 25 minutes of blocking Arlington Heights Road when somebody’s coming down in an ambulance for a heart attack or something like that is a concern,” Bertucci said.

Trustee Robin LaBedz, who attended the rally Saturday, said organizers told protesters to stay on the sidewalks and not go onto the street, but the crowd grew organically.

“I found people to be, of those that I witnessed, very respectful of one another, of the police officers that were there. I witnessed people thanking police officers for being there,” she said.

“While we can always take a look at what processes can be done, I want to just state that I thought it went actually very well,” LaBedz added. “There was no intent to disturb or impede the public right of way.”

Trustee Wendy Dunnington, who also attended the demonstration, said police were “calm, professional and respectful.”

“I’m confident that the police and the fire (departments) do have a plan whenever Arlington Heights Road and Northwest Highway are blocked, whether that’s for an accident or a train delay or a protest,” Dunnington said. “I think it’s important that we respect everybody’s First Amendment right.”

Trustee-elect Bill Manganaro, who also attended Saturday, said “peaceful” doesn’t necessarily mean “without disruption.”

“While it was not intended, it occurred,” said Manganaro, who will be sworn in May 5. “And I do have a great deal of faith in our emergency services and our dispatch that a delay that was no longer than we have seen when there have been pedestrian train auto accidents — that they are capable of rerouting emergency vehicles around Arlington Heights and Northwest Highway to get them to Northwest Community or whatever is their destination as quickly as is feasible and possible and with minimal delay.”