Chicago City Wire

Danielle Carter stood on the front lines of Tuesday night’s unrest in downtown Chicago as a counter-protestor. 

The co-founder and Vice President of Flip Chicago Red, a conservative grassroots movement aiming to shift political control of the city, delivered one message: the chaos erupting across the city is not grassroots activism—it’s a manufactured crisis.

“They were saying, ‘F Trump,’ they had scarves, masks, sunglasses—only thing you saw was their eyes,” Carter told Chicago City Wire. “They vandalized downtown with graffiti—‘Abolish ICE,’ ‘Free Palestine,’ ‘F Trump’—they spray-painted cop cars and put a Nazi sign on one.” 

Protesters flooded downtown Chicago on June 11. | X / Chicago Flips Red

Carter and Zoe Leigh of Chicago Flips Red, who livestreamed their counter-protest on X, said they and fellow Flip Chicago Red members were confronted by hostile demonstrators.

“We were there, and [the protestors] got in our face, so they weren't peaceful at all,” Carter said. 

Her comments came amid large-scale protests in more than 35 cities across 19 states following federal immigration raids.

Chicago has become a focal point, with thousands flooding the streets.

On Tuesday evening, tensions escalated as hundreds gathered outside the Chicago Police Department headquarters, accusing local officers of cooperating with ICE.

The demonstration turned chaotic, with criminal activity resulting in damaged patrol cars, vandalized public monuments and disrupted traffic.

Seventeen protesters were arrested on charges ranging from misdemeanors to felony assault.

A 66-year-old woman was hospitalized after a car drove through the crowd.

Carter placed direct blame on the Democratic Party, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and what she described as “far-left political operatives.”

“This is a paid protest,” Carter said. “These are domestic terrorists, and they're paid to do this—to wreak chaos and havoc. And we know it's by the Democratic Party, and it's by design.”

Carter said Black Chicagoans at the protests were at a minimum. 

"They don't have the backing of Black Americans to do this garbage,” Carter said. “It was mostly White liberals or Hispanics. That's what it was out there."

Carter said the Black community is not in favor of illegal immigrants in Chicago. 

“It's over for the Democratic Party, and they know it. So they have to pay people to push this narrative, like we want illegal aliens here,” she said. 

She emphasized that opposition to illegal immigration into Black communities in Chicago is widespread.

“We are very vocal about, this is not what we want, and they'll put all in our communities. So of course we don't want this,” she said. 

While Johnson has publicly condemned the federal ICE raids and called for restraint, Carter accused his administration of protecting illegal aliens at the expense of city residents and public safety.

“When Brandon Johnson did his press conference this morning, if you know this, he was definitely protecting the illegals,” she said. “He’s steadily talking about how President Trump is the reason why this is happening.”

Amid deep voter dissatisfaction, the Democratic Party has hit a historic polling low with just 27% of Americans viewing it positively. 

Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson faces a 79.9% disapproval rating, with only 6.6% of residents viewing his performance favorably. 

The historically low approval reflects deep voter frustration over persistent violent crime, fiscal tensions and dissatisfaction with Johnson's leadership on key city issues.

“[Democrats] are losing so bad, so they have to push [these protests] out here because the push is to make it look like so many people are marching for the cause. When you see that, it makes Americans think, ‘Oh wow, people really do want this,’ when we don't. That's what they're doing—same thing, same trick, like Black Lives Matter,” said Carter.

Flip Chicago Red has seen its following grow amid frustration over immigration policy, crime and economic inequality in traditionally Democratic neighborhoods. 

Carter, a lifelong Chicagoan and former Democrat herself, says she began questioning her party affiliation during the COVID-19 pandemic and the migrant crisis that followed.

Carter says what was once a taboo topic in the Black community—voting Republican—is starting to gain traction.

“The Black community—we know that we vote blue no matter who, and we vote blue maybe 93 to 94% of the time. This is what we do,” she said. “So we must address our community, because we are the ones who’re keeping these Democrats in office by just blindly voting for them.” 

Carter, whose husband is a retired police officer, condemned Johnson for putting police in harm’s way by limiting law enforcement’s abilities and supporting protesters over police officers.

“So this is what you're doing—putting lives on the line, just like the Democratic Party is doing with the ICE officers,” she said. “They're risking their lives and are in jeopardy because of what’s happening. That’s why when any officer dies, we call that Brandon Johnson’s fault, because you are taking away their powers. They can’t do anything. They’re scared to react because they know they’ll get in trouble, especially if it involves illegals or, like you said, these protesters. So, you are definitely putting their lives in danger.”

Looking ahead, Carter warned that another major protest is planned for June 14—President Trump’s birthday—and believes it could be more destructive than what Chicago has already seen.

“They're gonna try to really do some damage this time, I believe,” Carter said. “That's why I was calling President Trump: please, if you're gonna bring in National Guards, bring the military out, because these people—this is what they want to do. This is exactly what they want to do. So yes, this protest that they're starting or plan to hold on the 14th…it's serious. It is very serious, and we are warning people.”

Carter emphasized the importance of protecting Chicago’s neighborhoods from outside destruction. 

“We cannot allow somebody else—who are foreigners as well—to come over here and tear up anything that we have,” she said. “Because they already been downtown, like I said, marked it all with spray paint, and that’s a beautiful city. This is our city. So we can’t allow that.”

Johnson faced pointed criticism during a Wednesday morning press conference. 

A reporter directly challenged Johnson over previous remarks urging residents to “resist ICE” operations. The question highlighted growing concern from residents who say the mayor’s rhetoric may be fueling violence. 

"You have called on the citizens of Chicago to rise up against ICE, to resist ICE, to fight back against ICE,"  the reporter said. "Many Chicagoans, including Black and Brown residents, tell me that sounds like a call to violence. In light of the violence we're seeing in Los Angeles now—the looting, the damage to property, the attacks on law enforcement—would you consider withdrawing that call to violence?"

The reporter pressed further, citing discontent among taxpayers, particularly those in the Black community, over how the city has handled the migrant crisis.

"You also have said that the illegal immigrants being targeted by ICE are the working families of Chicago,"  the reporter said. "Real Chicagoans are now facing tax increases because you've spent millions of their tax dollars on migrants, including a grocery tax. Why would you think real Chicagoans should trust you to spend their money after you've already wasted millions of it on illegal aliens?"

Johnson's response was minimal. 

"We are investing in people," Johnson said. 

"Is that really honestly your only answer?" the reporter asked.

Chicago has spent over $612 million on emergency shelter and services for migrants, with nearly $500 million of that going to just two private companies—Favorite Healthcare Staffing and Equitable Social Solutions. Some building owners were guaranteed up to $150,000 per month in lease agreements that were kept secret until uncovered in a lawsuit.

Since 2022, Illinois has spent $638 million in taxpayer funds on the migrant crisis in Chicago, including $160 million recently announced by Gov. JB Pritzker for shelter and job assistance. 

Opponents have criticized such spending, arguing that it diverts critical resources from vulnerable Illinois residents.

Images from June 10. (Terry Newsome)