A peaceful protest didn’t go as planned, as thick black smoke started suffocating participants. The driver of a diesel truck must have disagreed with the event in Illinois. So, he rolled coal at them with an older Dodge pickup. 

Diesel truck driver rolls coal at protestors in Illinois 

Roughly 350 Illinois residents gathered to participate in a Families First protest along Route 31 in McHenry. They peacefully held up signs to promote ending policies that harm children, seniors, and families. 

Sue Rose of Indivisible McHenry County shared that a black Dodge pickup got dangerously close to the protest line. Then the diesel truck driver rolled coal on protestors, covering them in thick clouds of noxious diesel exhaust. 

Rose explained that the exhaust was so dense that it was difficult to breathe. You could feel it hit your skin. People had to cover their faces to protect their eyes. But a few participants managed to take photos of the truck and contacted the police. 

Authorities quickly caught up with the Dodge and identified the suspect as 18-year-old Nicholas D. Thompson. According to Lake McHenry Scanner, he was charged with one count of disorderly conduct. 

He pleaded not guilty and will have a bench trial on January 5. A criminal complaint alleges he rolled coal by emitting a large cloud of black smoke in front of a protest on the 1800 block of Richmond Road, disturbing and frightening participants. 

Rose shares that the prosecutor asks participants in the protest to appear in court. Some have been asked to testify during the trial. 

If you show up, you don’t have to testify. However, a significant number of people in the courtroom will demonstrate that they will not tolerate these types of assaults on civil liberties.