Pro-anti Trump demonstrators are rallying in the USA
Putting It All Out There on May Day
Thousands across the USA took to the streets on May 1st, from The Big Apple to Tinseltown, to voice their displeasure against Donald Trump's policies and label his administration as a "tyranny." This wasn't your usual May Day mobilization like in Europe, but local unions and civil groups seized this international day to champion "workers' rights" and the rights of immigrants, standing firm against Trump's full-scale offensive.
In Washington D.C., Shane Riddle, a 54-year-old education union worker, shouted his concerns in front of the White House, fearing the nation could slip into an "authoritarian government." He believed the wealthy elite were taking over the country, targeting the working class and the middle class.
Newbies and seasoned protesters filled the streets in various cities. Although the marches in the capital attracted only a few hundred participants, similar numbers in New York, and several thousand in Los Angeles, according to AFP photographers, the message was loud and clear.
In Houston, Texas, left-wing activist Bernard Sampson voiced his disapproval of the Trump administration's hurried deportations, calling it an attack on "restaurant workers, house builders, and others," just like you and me.
In Philadelphia, Senator Bernie Sanders assembled a crowd of hundreds alongside a local union, part of his national tour to combat the "oligarchy." Sanders, a popular figure on the American left, criticized the wealth gap, explaining, "Today in America, one man, Elon Musk, has more wealth than the 52% of the least wealthy American households."
These protests come when the Democratic Party, currently in the minority in Congress, is grappling with an effective strategy to counter Trump. Some protesters, like 22-year-old Izabela Cabrera in Washington, felt disillusioned, voicing, "I feel like I haven't heard anything from the party." She questioned, "Clearly, the American people are angry, but I don't think the Democratic Party really understands what's happening."
Meanwhile, unionist Cheryl McLeod responded in front of the White House, "It's not about party. We are in a tyranny" and "For now, we are fighting to get rid of someone who wants to be king."
May Day has its roots in the 1886 labor movement for an eight-hour workday and the Haymarket Affair that followed. The day first symbolized workers' struggles across the USA. However, the U.S. later designated the first Monday in September as Labor Day to distance itself from radical socialist associations linked to May 1. Yet, May Day remains significant as a day of grassroots labor activism in the U.S., with unions and advocacy groups organizing protests for fair wages, workplace safety, and workers' rights.
- Senator Bernie Sanders, who is a popular figure on the American left, voiced his concerns during a May Day protest, criticizing the wealth gap and stating, "Today in America, one man, Elon Musk, has more wealth than the 52% of the least wealthy American households."
- Unionist Cheryl McLeod, participating in a May Day protest, stated, "It's not about party. We are in a tyranny," and added, "For now, we are fighting to get rid of someone who wants to be king."
- May Day protests, such as those organized by local unions and civil groups, have historically stood firm against policies seen as threatening workers' rights and the rights of immigrants, as seen in the 20XX protests against Donald Trump's administration.
- AFP photographers reported that New York had similar numbers of participants in their May Day protest compared to Washington D.C., with several thousand people in Los Angeles joining as well, demonstrating a strong message against the Trump administration's policies and labeling the administration as a "tyranny."
