Overview
- Rallies that spanned Friday drew large crowds worldwide, with a U.S. coalition called May Day Strong urging an economic blackout under the slogan “workers over billionaires.”
- In Los Angeles, thousands marched from MacArthur Park to City Hall to protest immigration sweeps and high living costs, while in Chicago thousands rallied after schools marked the day as a districtwide “day of civic action.”
- Turkish police detained hundreds in Istanbul after clashes near Taksim Square, in one of the day’s most forceful crackdowns reported by international outlets.
- Protesters pressed for higher wages, taxing the wealthy, stronger labor protections, immigration reforms such as abolishing ICE, and an end to war, tying hardship to rising energy prices linked to the Iran conflict.
- U.S. organizers cited recent Trump administration moves they say weakened worker safeguards, including federal job reclassification, cuts to National Labor Relations Board staffing, and stalled new Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.