One person at the Lincoln statue in Springfield

Posted on January 18, 2021
It was John Keating, a familiar figure around protests — as a counterprotester. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Maybe someone didn’t get the memo.

With police and National Guard blocking streets around the Capitol Complex in Springfield, only one person showed up Sunday to demonstrate at the Lincoln statue in front of the statehouse. It was John Keating, a familiar figure around protests — as a counterprotester.

Sunday he carried an American flag modified with the words, “No Justice, No Peace.” During the summer he held signs to mock anti-mask protesters.

Keating told reporters Sunday that once he saw nobody came to protest the 2020 election results, he decided to come with what he said is a message worth sharing.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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