Thousands of people are expected to take to the streets across the country on Thursday for May Day demonstrations, to highlight what organizers say are consolidated attacks on labor rights and immigrant communities under the President Donald Trump administration. The movement is led by a coalition called May Day Strong, grounded in a legacy of worker-led protests across the globe on May 1.
What Happened: Demonstrations to protest policies that are “defunding our schools, privatizing public services, attacking unions, and targeting immigrant families with fear and violence” are scheduled in more than 1000 cities nationwide.
“This is a war on working people,” reads a statement on the May Day Strong events page. “We are reclaiming our power from corporate elites, and we will not be intimidated by Trump, Musk, or their billionaire backers. They’ve ruled for too long.”
The White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.
Why It Matters: This year’s protests are expected to surpass previous years in size and scope. Georgetown University labor historian Joseph McCartin told NPR that the broad geographic reach and diversity of participants could make this the most extensive May Day mobilization in U.S. history.
Internationally commemorated as a day for labor solidarity, May Day has always had a tense relationship with the U.S. political landscape. Many Presidents have attempted to rebrand the day, including Eisenhower‘s “Law Day” and Trump’s “Loyalty Day,” but activists continue to reclaim the it as a platform for worker rights and immigrant justice.
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