Demonstrations celebrating May 1
Demonstrations and rallies were held across the United States
Los Angeles, US, May 1 (EFE).- By Ana Milena Varón
More than 4,000 demonstrations and rallies were held across the United States on Friday on International Workers’ Day, with employees from multiple sectors present under the slogan, “Workers are above billionaires.”
In the country’s most populous cities, such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Washington, demonstrators took to the streets to demand better working conditions, recognition of their contributions, and acknowledgment of the contributions of millions of undocumented migrants to the economy, a call to action known as “May Day Strong.”
“We cannot remain invisible. We need to be heard and recognized. Politicians and companies must understand that this country cannot move forward without our work,” said Sandra Liliana Barrera, a Service Employees International Union (SEIU) member, in an interview with EFE.
Barrera said it was her first time attending a May Day march and that her frustration with the current situation in the US motivated her to demonstrate with her daughter, a recently graduated anthropologist who has been unable to find employment.
“The situation is getting more and more difficult. Look at the prices of gasoline and food. We can’t take it anymore. It is the moment to send a strong message,” said the Los Angeles march participant.
Angie Moreno, spokesperson for Chicago Jobs with Justice, one of the organizations that called the march in that city, expressed similar discontent. The march in Chicago was expected to draw over 20,000 people.
“Solidarity must be with workers, not corporate greed. We must understand that billionaires are few, but we are many. If we unite, we will be stronger,” the activist warned EFE.
The economic boycott
The call for this day included a petition to “not go to school, not work, and not consume,” which has already yielded results in previous movements, such as the one that occurred in Minneapolis against the Target company in January after immigration raids left two US citizens dead at the hands of federal agents.
Complaints against specific companies, such as Amazon, were also heard in New York City on Friday.
These demonstrations follow protests against US President Donald Trump under the slogan “No Kings,” which have brought together millions of people across the country since 2025, according to organizers.
In defense of migrants
In Houston, Texas, anger has also been expressed. Alfredo Hernández, a healthcare worker, told EFE that he is tired of the US government spending money on wars and persecuting undocumented workers instead of investing in improving the conditions of those who live in the country.
Although defending migrants was not the main objective of the demonstrations, like in previous years, calls to fight for this cause and stop the abuses of immigration authorities were present. Throughout the country, signs with “ICE OUT” could be seen.
In Los Angeles, Angélica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), emphasized that the flawed US immigration system is at the heart of numerous political and economic challenges, impacting working families and living costs regardless of political affiliation.
“May Day is more than a celebration of unity and resilience; it’s a call to action. When we organize, mobilize, and stand shoulder to shoulder, we are unstoppable, and we can achieve anything in the name of justice,” she stated. EFE
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