May Day protests target Trump policies
Immigration among the biggest subjects of demonstrations
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators are expected to take to the streets Monday in massive May Day events across the USA mostly protesting the policies of President Trump.
May Day — also known as International Workers’ Day — has spawned protests around the globe in past years highlighting workers’ rights. But on Monday, the impetus for the U.S. marches span from immigrants’ rights to LGBT awareness to police misconduct.
“There’s a real galvanization of all the groups this year,” said Fernanda Durand of CASA in Action, which will lead a march of about 10,000 people for immigrants’ rights through downtown Washington. “Our presence in this country is being questioned by Donald Trump. We are tired of being demonized and scapegoated. We’ve had enough.”
Durand’s protest is part of the Rise Up umbrella movement that promises 259 events in more than 200 cities in 41 states focusing on immigrants’ rights, she said. Another widespread effort, dubbed Beyond the Movement, will feature a collection of racial-justice groups and include pro- tests in more than 50 cities, from Portland, Ore., to Miami.
Erick Sanchez, another Washington-based organizer, said he’s seen the melding of different groups in previous events this year, from the Women’s March on Washington to climate change awareness protests. Monday will be the culmination of gelling these disparate groups, he said.
“There’s really a sense that we’re in this together,” he said. “That an attack on one is an attack on all.”
Trump released a statement Friday declaring May 1 “Loyalty Day” as a way to “recognize and reaffirm our allegiance to the principles” upon which America was built, calling on all government buildings to display the U.S. flag and schools to observe the holiday with ceremonies.
The holiday has been proclaimed by every president since Dwight D. Eisenhower, on differing dates, but Trump’s critics skewered the timing of the proclamation on social media.
“If I were like, the worst president ever & wanted to make my critics look like traitors, I would declare May 1st Loyalty Day,” wrote @Onision.
Originally a pagan celebration dating back two millenniums and heralding the return of spring, May Day has morphed into a global observance of workers’ rights. But its emergence as an international workers’ rights day actually arose from a May 1, 1886, Chicago strike for the eight-hour workday.