Thousands attended No Kings rallies Saturday in South Elgin and Elgin, vilifying President Donald Trump as part of a national day of protest.

On Randall and Silver Glen roads in South Elgin, a crowd gathered on the overhead bridge and posted the message: “No kings. No jesters. No child molesters” while they filled the roadside for more than a mile north.

At Kimball Street and Grove Avenue in Elgin, thousands packed both sides of the street. They put a giant inflatable rat in the median parkway that wore Trump’s trademark red tie, lest anyone miss the point of the source of their discontent.

A chant leader stood on a bench and used a bullhorn for call and response: “Show ‘em what democracy looks like. This is what democracy looks like” and “Love, not hate, that’s what make America great.”

Another man carried a sign back and forth by the rat that read, “He’s a rapist,” a reference to sexual misconduct allegations against the president.

Passing cars and trucks beeped, honked and yelled out their approval, also with arms extended for thumb’s up gestures at both locations.

The No Kings rallygoers’ reasons echoed their concern for the country under the Trump administration.

“I am here because I would like – in some way – to make a difference,” said Gretchen Goldsworthy of Geneva. “There needs to be a change. And if coming here or doing one little thing to make a difference - that’s why I’m here.”

For three friends from North Aurora – Marianne Battista, Linda Parlay and Susan – public protest is the only avenue to be heard and seek change.

“I am here to protest for our country,” Battista said. “We need to remove Donald Trump from office.”

Paslay added, “I’m here to make a difference. To be here with all these other people making history. This is only way to be heard.”

Susan, who would not give her last name, said she was there “because we need to show that democracy is not lost and we need to stand together like our parents did.”

Batavia residents Rudy and Carol – who did not want to give their last names – said they wanted to be in solidarity with everyone else there.

“My button says, ‘Enough,’” Carol said.

The couple wore knitted red hats known as Melt the ICE Hats from Needle & Skein in Minneapolis.

“Because in World War II in Norway, they started wearing red hats in protest of the Nazis that had occupied Norway,” Carol said. “The Nazis outlawed red hats, and everybody who wore red hats went to jail.”

According to its website, Needle & Skein reported that as of March 5, its Melt the Ice Hat patterns at $5 each raised more than $705,000 in for community distribution in the Twin Cities, including for immigrant assistance.

“I’m here because I care about our liberties,” said Cathy Nails of Campton Hills. “I’m here because I think we all need to stand up. I think we need to make good trouble.”

Geneva resident Jason Watson wore his protest as Trump himself: A giant cutout of Trump’s face over his own face, a trademark dark jacket, white shirt and red tie.

But that’s where the similarities ended.

Watson’s Trump face also sported Adolf Hitler’s mustache.

Despite the breeze amid a 35-degree temperature, Watson’s legs were bare.

To further ridicule Trump, instead of pants, Watson wore a mock-up of a fully loaded adult diaper with fake feces smeared on the backs of his thighs.

His wife, Kelly Watson, carried a sign to complete the Hitler inference: “They want 1939 Germany. They’ll get 1789 France.”

The year 1939 refers to the rise of the Nazism in Germany and 1789 refers to the year French peasants stormed the Bastille prison, during the French Revolution..

“I’m here because I’ve had enough of President Trump and his cronies running our country like a gestapo,” Jason Watson said. “I want to see better leadership from our government. I want to see accountability again. And especially I want to see our immigrant neighbors left alone.”

Kelly Watson said she was there for the same reasons.

“We are really tired of President Trump and his administration taking advantage of all of us – every one of us,” Kelly Watson said. " Jason was in the military – the Air Force – and as a military wife, my heart goes out to people being deployed to Iran. And it’s a war that never should have been started."

We Can Lead Change, Indivisible Fox Valley Rising and Visibility Brigade organized the South Elgin rally. Volunteers organized the Elgin rally.