Stand Up for Free Speech at the Peoria Riverfront Market

We, the undersigned, urge the Peoria Riverfront Market not to infringe upon First Amendment Free Speech.

My name is Teresa Brockman and I have been selling my fruits and herbs at the Riverfront Market for several years in the same stand as my daughter, Kira Santiago, who sells flowers.

A few weeks ago, I was informed by Sharon Gramm, Executive Director of the Peoria Riverfront Association and Manager of the Riverfront Farmers Market, that a member of the board objected to a sign at my stand at the market and asked me to remove it. She said vendors may not express "politics" at the market.

Such a policy is not in the Market Rules and Regulations for 2025, and if such a policy were to be enacted, it would violate every vendor's and every market-goer's right to free speech as set forth in the First Amendment to our Constitution.

I understand that in these polarized times, many people are not comfortable seeing signs expressing things they disagree with. I see such signs in my neighborhood every day. I also see political speech I disagree with at the Peoria Riverfront Market every week — on bumper stickers, on clothing, and sometimes even printed on products for sale. I see such things and go on with my life because I respect every person's right to free speech.

I am petitioning the Peoria Riverfront Market management to not infringe upon my, and others', free speech at the market -- especially since mine is not at all partisan or "political." The sign at my stand reads: "Stand with Palestine, Stand with Humanity." I have been pro-humanity my entire life, and that viewpoint has never been considered partisan or political. Likewise, I have been against the US funding of the genocide in Gaza when Biden was president as well as now when Trump is president. I am not in support of one political party over another in this matter: I am only against the killing of an entire People and their culture, which is by definition genocide and has been affirmed by many international organizations — see footnote below.

Sharon Gramm said she has had no negative comments from market-goers about my sign. Likewise, I have had no complaints or negative comments about my sign. To the contrary, market-goers of many religions and ethnicities have thanked me for the sign, and expressed their feelings of helplessness about the ability to influence our government to stop funding the killing of Palestinians. They tell me that they feel more "seen" and "heard" when they see my sign.

My sign is not only an expression of my constitutional right to free speech, it is my attempt to give voice to people who have no voice — to men, women, and children who are dying every day from bombs, snipers, and starvation.

Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate, wrote:
"We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. . . . The opposite of love is not hate, It's indifference."

Thank you for your time, and for signing this petition,

Teresa Brockman


Footnote: Israel is and has been committing genocide against Palestine. This has been confirmed by many world organizations and scholars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_humanitarian_groups_accusing_Israel_of_genocide_in_Gaza) including, most recently the International Association of Genocide Scholars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Genocide_Scholars) and the United Nations Human Rights Council Commission of Independent Experts (https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/09/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds). Many humanitarian organizations such as Doctors without Borders and Amnesty International have also declared that genocide is being committed by Israel.