From worker rights rallies to marches for social justice, activists around the globe kicked off May Day demonstrations on Thursday.
In some countries, it’s a public holiday honoring labor, but activists planning marches in the United States say much of their message is about fighting back against President Donald Trump’s policies targeting immigrants, federal workers and diversity programs.
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WATCH HEREThousands participated in demonstrations from the Bay Area to Tokyo. In some parts of the U.S., though, fear sowed by the Trump administration is expected to keep some immigrants home.
May Day rallies in the Bay Area
The day of action started early in the Bay Area.
In Berkeley, teachers, parents and students rallied before the morning bell outside several schools. The rallies focused on calling for a better teachers' contract with the district and pushing back against proposed cuts in federal funding.
"We are struggling," said Daniel Krasnor, a second grade teacher at the Berkeley Unified School District. "We are struggling to make ends meet and if we can't be healthy, we can't meet our basic living needs -- we obviously can't take care of these kids."
At the University of California, Berkeley, workers walked off the job as part of a statewide one-day strike. Workers rallied to bring attention to what union officials said are months of failed contract negotiations with the university.
Also in the East Bay, workers, immigrants and community leaders marched from the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland to San Antonio Park.
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SIGN UP In San Francisco, federal cuts and policies were top of mind for a group that rallied at the 24th and Mission BART plaza. Activists then marched to City Hall.
Organizers said they are fighting for workers' rights and justice for immigrants. They also are calling out the impact of climate change on immigrant communities.
In the South Bay, a march to San Jose City Hall was held in the afternoon for civil rights, freedom and to protest some of President Donald Trump's policies.
One of the main organizers, immigrant rights group Amigos de Guadalupe of San Jose, said the community has been waiting for a chance to speak out.
"I think this is our moment," Amigos de Guadalupe founder Maritza Maldonado said. "It is our time to speak with one voice and we are a democracy in action."
Demonstrators said they also wanted to showcase the contributions of workers in Silicon Valley.
"We have so many billionaires, we are the heart of industry, but we would not be anything without the workers that run the plants, that drive and clean their cars, that clean their office buildings, that are their security," said Rebeca Armendariz, with Working Partners USA.
Traffic in the area of rallies are expected to be impacted. Visit maydaystrong.org for a list of May Day actions around the Bay Area.
What is May Day?
The roots of May Day, or International Workers Day, stretch back over a century to a turbulent and pivotal time in U.S. labor history.
In the 1880s, unions pushing for better workplace conditions began advocating for an eight-hour workday with widespread demonstrations and strikes. In May 1886, a Chicago labor rally turned deadly when a bomb was thrown and police retaliated with gunfire. Several labor activists, most of them immigrants, were convicted of conspiracy to incite violence among other charges. Four were hanged.
Unions later recommended that the workers be honored every May 1. A sculpture in Chicago’s Haymarket Square commemorates them with an inscription that reads: “Dedicated to all workers of the world.”
May Day rallies and riots
May Day marches, rallies and riots have taken place worldwide in recent years as unions push for better rights for workers, groups air economic grievances or activists call for an end to the war in Gaza.
While most demonstrations have been peaceful, there have been clashes with police.
Last year, police in Paris fired tear gas as thousands of protesters marched through the French capital, seeking better pay and working conditions. In New York City, May Day demonstrations coincided with rising tensions at college campuses over pro-Palestinian student encampments, resulting in numerous arrests.
This year, organizers in numerous cities, including New York, are calling for unity across many causes and groups.
“We’re organizing for a world where every family has housing, health care, fair wages, union protection, and safety — regardless of race, immigration status, or zip code,” the American Civil Liberty Union of New York said in a statement.
Other notable U.S. demonstrations include a workers rally at Philadelphia City Hall with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and demonstrations at the Colorado State Capitol and in Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
May Day immigration marches
While labor and immigrant rights are historically intertwined, the focus of May Day rallies in the U.S. shifted to immigration in 2006. That’s when roughly 1 million people, including nearly half a million in Chicago alone, took to the streets to protest federal legislation that would’ve made living in the U.S. without legal permission a felony.
Crowds for May 1 demonstrations have since dwindled with advocacy groups splintering and shifting activism arenas such as voters rights.
This year in Chicago, organizers say activism starting Thursday will last until Cinco de Mayo with boycotts and walkouts. Their focus is workers’ rights but also rising anti-immigrant rhetoric from Trump’s administration.
Organizers acknowledge a chilling effect on immigrant communities since Trump has cracked down on enforcement, especially in so-called sanctuary cities including Chicago. They’re expecting lower numbers of immigrants but are expanding their outreach to more unions, including for teachers and nurses.
“There’s a lot fear out there,” said Omar Lopez, a longtime Chicago organizer.
Who celebrates May Day?
In some countries, May Day is a public holiday for workers, including France, Kenya and China, where it lasts five days. In Russia, Communist-led May Day celebrations were once massive affairs.
It’s also a traditional spring celebration that’s observed in ways that don’t involve marching in the streets or civil disobedience.
In Hawaii, May 1 is called Lei Day, which isn’t an official holiday, but a statewide celebration of the Hawaiian culture and the aloha spirit through the creation and giving of lei — usually a necklace of flowers.
Elsewhere, people mark the holiday by leaving May Day baskets filled with gifts and flowers on the doorsteps of friends. The city of Annapolis, Maryland, is set to hold its 70th May Day Basket Competition, where residents and businesses outdo each other for the best floral arrangements.
“It’s our community’s way of saying goodbye to winter and welcoming the beauty and energy of spring,” Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said.
