About 100 people crossed Northwest Highway in Arlington Heights on the way to village hall Thursday morning, where a protest was held in response to the village board's decision not to fly the Pride and Juneteenth flags there. SEE MORE AT DAILYHERALD.COM/VIDEO.
photos by Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
About 100 people marched from North School Park to Arlington Heights village hall Thursday morning to protest the village board's decision to reject requests to fly the Pride and Juneteenth flags on village-owned property.
Protesters waved flags and held signs as they walked down Arlington Heights Road before a rally outside village hall, where speakers decried the board's 5-3 vote on July 6 to establish a village flag policy.
The policy limits the flying of flags on property owned, leased or controlled by village government to the official flags of the United States of America, state of Illinois, village and the National League of Families POW/MIA flag.
Speakers at the rally included Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, the first openly LGBTQ member of the county board; Heidi Graham, president of the local League of Women Voters chapter; protest organizer Luke Sparreo; and fellow resident Javon Jarrett.
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Arlington Heights residents, including several students, organized a protest Thursday against the village board's decision not to allow the Pride and Juneteenth flags flown over village hall.
Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
Karen Friedman, center, and her daughter, Sydney Friedman, both of Arlington Heights, cross Arlington Heights Road during a protest Thursday of the village board's rejection of flying the Pride and Juneteenth flags at village hall.
Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
Luke Sparreo of Arlington Heights speaks during a rally outside village hall Thursday morning in protest of the village board's decision not to fly the Pride or Juneteenth flags on village property. Sparreo, a Prospect High School graduate, helped organize the event.
Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
Wendy Dunnington, an Arlington Heights village board candidate in the recent election, waves a Pride flag at a passing Metra train on Thursday morning. She was part of a march held in response to the board's decision not to fly the Pride and Juneteenth flags at village hall.
Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
A protest was held Thursday after the Arlington Heights village board voted 5-3 this month on a new flag policy that effectively bans the flying of the Pride and Juneteenth flags on village property. John Sparreo, left, of Arlington Heights, was among those holding signs along Arlington Heights Road after his son, Luke, helped organize the event.
Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com