Protesters gather in Sterling for ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ rally

Lining up along East Fourth Street in Sterling on Thursday, July 17, hundreds of protesters displayed their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration in a nationwide gathering known as “Good Trouble Lives On.”

The protest marks the fifth anniversary of U.S. Rep. John Lewis’ death.

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Anne Hilliard of Dixon protests Thursday, July 17, 2025, in Sterling. The protest, slugged “Good Trouble Lives On,” is a national day of peaceful protest marking the fifth anniversary of the death of U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a civil‑rights icon. (Alex T. Paschal)

Sterling was among communities across northern Illinois that took part in the national day of peaceful protest. The goal of the day was to continue Lewis’ legacy of nonviolent action to defend democracy, voting rights and civil liberties.

The national action organized by groups including Indivisible, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Urban League and others was created to respond to “attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration,” according to the movement’s website.