Protesters are heading to the streets in cities and towns across the country Friday amid “May Day Strong” rallies in recognition of International Workers' Day.
An alliance comprising hundreds of organizations is urging participants to observe an economic shutdown of “no school, no work, no shopping,” in order to achieve “a nation that puts workers over billionaires,” according to an event website. Events including walkouts, protests, and others have been organized to take place throughout the day, several of which had already begun Friday afternoon.
Sunrise Movement, a youth climate activist group, claimed that over 100,000 students would participate in strike from school. “Over a dozen schools have already canceled classes due to the sheer number of people expected to be absent,” the organization posted on X.
Some of the demands issued by organizers of the protest day include: “Tax the rich, not our families” and “No ICE, no war, no private army for authoritarian rule. Extend democracy. Protect our vote.”
International Workers' Day, also known as May Day, is traditionally associated with a day of protest. The celebration in the United States dates back to the struggle for an eight-hour workday in the 19th century. In the beginning of May 1886, a general strike was held to enforce the limitation on the duration of labor. At a May 4 demonstration of strikers at Haymarket Square in Chicago, a bomb was exploded, and then law enforcement agents began shooting. Several people died as a result of the event, which was called the Haymarket affair, and several people were arrested, including leaders of the workers' movement. Four people who were accused of murder were sentenced to death.
In the United States, this day is not recognized as a holiday. However, it is a holiday in many other countries.
"Everyday Americans in the heartland are the backbone of the Make America Great Again movement and played a key role in delivering the presidency to President Trump," Kush Desai, White House spokesman, said in a statement to Time. "From the beginning, the Trump administration has stood firm on defending the interests of American workers, renegotiating unfair trade deals, securing trillions of dollars in manufacturing investment, cutting taxes on overtime, and securing our borders."
After several days of protests held by members of the "No Kings" organization against President Donald Trump in the past few months, as well as economic strikes in Minnesota and the rest of the nation in the beginning of this year, protesting against the administration of Donald Trump due to the shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, there are a number of demonstrations scheduled in the U.S. for May Day that is coming.
Here are some of them.
New York
Protests took place simultaneously in each of New York’s five boroughs.
Demonstrators assembled in such places as Washington Square Park in Manhattan, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and MacDonald Park in Queens.
At 8:30 a.m. ET, demonstrators began marching from Bryant Park in Manhattan to the penthouse of Amazon’s founder and billionaire, Jeff Bezos. At 10:30 a.m., participants marched from the New York Public Library to Amazon’s headquarters.
Several people were arrested in a May Day protest outside the New York Stock Exchange, one being the Democratic congressional candidate, Chuck Park. “We can confirm that Chuck Park was arrested by the NYPD Strategic Response Group along with fellow demonstrators as they were peacefully protesting with Sunrise Movement in a May Day civil rally for action near Wall Street,” stated Chuck Park’s team in a message on X. “More than 100 New Yorkers participated in the protest outside the New York Stock Exchange. Chuck was protesting peacefully to defend the rights of working-class people—values which have always been at the heart of his campaign.”
The largest demonstration in the city took place in the afternoon, with hundreds of demonstrators assembling in Washington Square Park for the protest rally that began at 4 p.m.
"We have seen once again that New York City workers have made history right from this location, " said Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor, in his speech at the rally. "Our workers won the rights that are now considered to be fundamental. A 40-hour working week, weekends, overtime payments, minimum wage, social security, workplace safety standards - all this has been achieved through the struggle of the workers."
"But we know well enough," Mamdani continued, "that our rights are not guaranteed forever. We must unite in order not only to protect t
Chicago
Thousands of people demonstrated at the rally held at Union Park in Chicago. Following the rally which took place at 1 p.m. Central time, participants embarked on a march to downtown Chicago.
One of the organizations behind the May Day demonstrations in Chicago, the Chicago Teacher’s Union (CTU), urged Macquline King, the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, to shut down all schools so that students could join other participants in the event. However, King declined to shut down schools for the May Day protests.
Mayor Brandon Johnson joined the Chicago Teacher’s Union President, Stacy Davis Gates, at a pre-rally event.
“Today you’re making history or part of the next generation of voices of leaders who will continue on the legacy of protecting and building our democracy,” Johnson declared.
Boston
Demonstrations in Boston started at 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time when workers at Boston Logan International Airport walked out with banners featuring slogans like “Boston workers deserve equity, respect, and opportunity” and “Clawing back our rights.” The protesters also rallied against President Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Further protests are scheduled during the day in and around Boston, including demonstrations in Bedford, Belmont, Cambridge, and Medford.
The protest reached its peak at 4:30 p.m. with hundreds of people attending an event held at the Boston Common.
"Boston is a union city!" posted Mayor Michelle Wu on social media Friday afternoon. "We're making that clear today with all of the May Day rallies going on in Boston and all the way to Washington D.C.! Our union workers are hard-working and provide for their families and communities to make this city what it is. … In Boston, the birthplace of liberty and America, we know that the struggle for workers' rights is not odd; it is right and it is never over."
Los Angeles
A rally began in MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, at 10 a.m. Pacific Time and proceeded to Grand Park via a march covering a distance of about three miles from downtown Los Angeles.
It is expected to be among the biggest rallies in Southern California on Friday.
"We want to be able to provide for our community with an economy that works for everyone, so we want to ensure that there are taxes placed on those billionaires and we provide for social structures that are needed like education, healthcare, and communities."
San Francisco
Hundreds of workers employed by San Francisco International Airport were protesting outside the airport’s international terminal, starting from 11 a.m. PT in San Francisco, as organized by Service Employees International Union United Service Workers West. Many people, including several public representatives, have been arrested after the protesters blockaded the flow of traffic.
“I stand with those workers and SEIU USWW for good-paying jobs, fair wages, and an economy that respects the dignity of those who make the Bay Area run,” said California state Sen. Josh Becker, one of those arrested during the protests, in a statement released to the San Francisco Standard.
The march from the city’s Civic Center Plaza to the Federal Building and Salesforce Tower is set to begin from 2 p.m., while the “Workers Over Billionaires Rally” is expected to start at Embarcadero Plaza at 4.
Other protests are also taking place in other parts of the East Bay and San Jose.
Raleigh
Teachers and activists from thousands of schools in North Carolina rallied in downtown Raleigh this Friday morning in an action called “Kids Over Corporations,” sponsored by the North Carolina Association of Educators. All of North Carolina’s school districts have closed schools because of the expected absence of the teaching staffs in this protest.
Further May Day demonstrations will take place in Raleigh and other parts of North Carolina on Friday.
Washington, D.C.
In the United States capital, hundreds of protesters gathered around the Washington Monument on Friday, carrying placards in several languages and chanting songs against the Trump administration.
Hundreds of people also took to the streets of Washington, D.C., protesting ICE and the President, and supporting workers’ rights.
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