Many of them came wearing red. All of them came seeing red.
"My tax dollars shouldn't support you and your tax dollars shouldn't support me," said Mark Stevens, one of the speakers at Thursday's Tea Party rally on the Peoria riverfront.
And that's the message of the Tea Party movement. Lower taxes. Less government.
Those who gathered say it would happen if politicians would simply follow The Constitution.
"Those are the documents that were designed to protect us from a large, over-reaching government," said Justin Abatie, who works with the local chapter of Campaign for Liberty.
Laurie Crandall was one of the people who showed up decked out in red and waving an American Flag.
"I'm old and I'm afraid of what they're going to take away from medicare. I've read a lot of it and I'm worried about it. I'm worried about a lot of things. I'm worried about taxes. I'm worried about my grandchildren," said Crandall.
It wasn't an unruly mob, but a gathering of very vocal and aggravated citizens. Many of the speakers at Liberty Park talked about cutting government and repealing health care.
But that's easier said than done.
"We do it at the polls," said Joe Burgess of Dunlap. "We go to the polls and we elect people who are a little more conservative and who want to represent the people and want to represent The Constitution."
Joel Morris of Morton says the chance to make their point is in November.
"Maybe after November, after the elections, when they see how these people end up voting, then maybe they'll stand up and take some notice."
What won't go unnoticed is the day on which these national Tea Party rallies are being held. April 15th, the deadline to file federal income taxes.
"I'm hoping it will motivate people and show them that we do have a voice. We can make changes," said Candy Grant of East Peoria.
There was also a Tea Party rally scheduled Thursday for Bloomington. That was to take place at 6 pm at the old courthouse.
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