Comrade were present at May Day marches across the country (and abroad!) on Thursday. This year’s May Day marches were bigger affairs than usual, drawing in a larger range of participants as everyone from the socialist left to progressives and usually unpolitical people are getting active to fight the Trump regime. Some scenes and reflections below.
Louisville, Kentucky
A well organized event! Our socialist city councilor JP Lyninger had the people fired up and DSA was loud and proud leading songs and chants. For folks who knew the words or had song sheets, it seemed to be a really big hit. I only saw one heckler on the side of the road and comrades did a great job of ushering folks around them. It was a little hard to hear the speakers at the start but that could have just been me being further back. Route wasn’t too long so the momentum held up. — Alex D., Solidarity City 2025 Campaign Cochair
Seattle, Washington
In Seattle, several hundred staff and faculty walked off the job at Seattle Colleges, the community college system serving the city’s diverse, working-class student body. The colleges are facing cuts from the state budget, including possible furlough days, propelled by austerity-minded Democratic governor Bob Ferguson. The action, led by WFSE 304, the state workers’ union, and AFT 1789, the faculty union, came together in just eleven days — making the high turnout all the more impressive. Speakers called to tax the rich, create new progressive revenue for education, and resist Trump and Musk’s anti-LGBT and anti-migrant agenda, tying local and statewide issues into the broader national political climate that’s turning people out to street protests in droves. DSA member and state legislator Shaun Scott spoke about his own time in Washington community colleges, where he first encountered the Communist Manifesto. After speeches, chants, and a raucous march up and down Broadway, the workers headed to nearby Cal Anderson Park, where thousands of people were rallying. The crowd at this larger event was a mix of union workers, anti-Trump liberals, and red-flag-flying groups. After speeches, the crowd of thousands marched out into the city to celebrate May Day. — Ella T.
New York, New York
Several thousand gathered at Foley Square for speeches before heading north on a march through the city. This year’s May Day rally was notable for the significant union presence: among others, UAW, the Laborers, the Actor’s Guild, Los Deliveristas Unidos (an organization representing delivery workers), the City University of New York faculty union, and the teachers’ union all had sizeable contingents. Important immigrant organizations, climate activist groups, and DSA brought along many of their members. A smattering of other smaller socialist sects were also in attendance. A variety of smaller liberal groups also turned out — making for some amusing contrasts: red flags alongside the American flag, signs calling for Trump to respect the Constitution alongside signs calling for revolution. The rally and march was truly a broad front. — Neal M.
Chicago, Illinois
More than seventy Chicago DSA (CDSA) members marched and marshaled in Chicago’s May Day March, as part of our endorsement of the coalition that organized the event. CDSA was featured in Axios photos of the event, and we hear overall attendance was ~5k-10k (good attendance for a rainy Thursday). chapter cochair and Bread & Roses member Sean D. spoke at the rally after the March! The chapter’s Instagram account also has speeches from fellow CDSA members representing their unions and their office.
CDSA also used the parade to invite folks to a Workers Townhall scheduled for Saturday afternoon. We have four panelists who represent labor unions and Chicago’s newly established local Emergency Workers Organizing Committee (ChiWOC) who will be speaking about how workers can take the energy of Thursday’s rally into organizing their workplaces going forward. (Something of note for future organizing — folks went from not interested to quickly interested when we told them we would have free food at the townhall. Free food really does bring people in.) — Holly S.
Dublin, Ireland
This May Day I found myself in Dublin, Ireland. In the early evening, a large group including members of Irish trade unions, leftist organizations, and the local community assembled at the Garden of Remembrance for the Dublin May Day parade. I was proud to march alongside our comrades in People Before Profit and carry their flag.
As we gathered, a man came up to me and noted my Bobby Sands pin. He told me that he remembered being in school the day the news broke that Bobby Sands had died. As he reflected, he said to me, “That’s the day I knew that Ireland would win.”
Soon after, the march began and we made our way down O’Connell Street, along River Liffey, to Liberty Hall and the James Connolly Memorial. Along the way, our chant leader led many chants we share in the US, emphasizing the common struggle we all face together.
“When worker’s rights are under attack, stand up fight back! When migrant’s rights are under attack, stand up fight back! When women’s rights are under attack, stand up fight back! When trans rights are under attack, stand up fight back!”
As we marched, I looked to the signs and banners in front and above us. The Workers Party raised the Starry Plough. ITGWU carried a banner of remembrance for The Molly Maguires. A younger group carried a banner, “THE CAUSE OF IRELAND IS THE CAUSE OF LABOUR.” Unite the Union carried a large banner. The Independent Workers’ Union and the IWW both had a presence as well. And through it all, Palestinian and Irish flags flew high together against the sky above our heads.
At Liberty Hall, the Irish Council of Trade Unions opened and introduced the speakers. There was a large focus on housing, fighting racism, a free Palestine, and of course militant trade unionism and international solidarity. Speakers pulled no punches as we heard Aisling Hedderman from CATU Ireland, Roh Perera from Le Chéile Diversity Not Division, Mags O’Brien from Trade Union Friends of Palestine, and Jimi Cullen who brought us together in song.
As speakers passionately addressed the crowd, I couldn’t help but pick up on the similarities the working class is facing in Ireland with those we’re seeing in the US. They spoke of the housing crisis, the rise of far-right nationalism, racism and xenophobia. They reminded us that across racial, gender, and ethnic lines, we’re all part of the same struggle with the same common enemy. They reminded us that the working class has the power to win a better future. But only if we’re organized.
Following the speakers, SIPTU welcomed us into their office with drinks, music, and an address from Mick O’Reilly.
As I made my way back out to the Dublin streets, I stopped again at the James Connelly memorial. Beneath Connolly and the Starry Plough, the housing crisis was perhaps too perfectly exemplified as someone lay sleeping at the foot of the memorial.
Walking the streets through Dublin, arm to arm with comrades across the Atlantic, passing the Jim Larkin statue, and honoring James Connolly was an almost surreal experience for me. We have work to do. But I’ve never been more certain that a better, just, socialist future is possible. — Ryan C.