Americans Turn Out for May Day Rallies
We must continue to take to the streets to make our resistance visible.
I’ve been saying for quite some time that the only way out of this mess — by which I mean the dictatorial authoritarian coup that has taken over and is systematically destroying the U.S. government — is for Americans to take to the streets to protest en masse. But since I have been out of the country, I haven’t been able to walk the talk until now.
So I was gratified to be back in New York City on May 1, the worldwide International Workers’ Day, where I lent my body to two separate May Day rallies in Foley Square, which is the location of the major state and federal courthouses in Manhattan.
Most of all, though, I was happy to see this little girl watching the protestors with her Mom. The girl is about the age I was when my mother would take me to civil rights protests and anti-Vietnam War demonstrations. I hope that in 10 years, 20 years, 30 years and beyond, this girl will remember that her mother wanted her to learn that we don’t have to passively accept tyranny, that we can protest against injustice, and that just being there to bear witness to history in the making is itself a worthwhile act.
Rally for the Rule of Law
At 1:00 pm, lawyers gathered to express their support for the rule of law. I liked the exhortation in the flyer: “Lawyers, be prepared to re-affirm your attorney’s oaths! If you feel comfortable doing so, please dress like you are going to court! Bring your pocket constitution!”
There were, indeed, many lawyers there in typical courtroom attire, along with other more casually dressed protestors. I spoke with the woman below, who said she had spent quite a bit of time putting together this detailed sign that she hoped wasn’t too wordy. (She also pointed out that she’s such a lawyer that she felt compelled to insert an ellipsis […] where she had omitted some of Timothy Snyder’s words of wisdom on tyranny. That made me laugh in recognition of my own overly lawyerly attention to such details.)
I also admired this proud woman’s sign and attire. I couldn’t help but notice that there were many protestors on the older side, both at this rally and at the subsequent one.
This might be a function of the location and time of day: younger people might be at work in the office, or remotely in homes far from downtown Manhattan. Or it might mean that old lefties are more inclined to take to the streets in protest, in ways similar to what they did in their youth. I hope it doesn’t mean that younger people are more disengaged from the real danger that we face under Trump 2.0. That would not bode well for the future of this country.
May Day Rally
In the early evening, there was a larger May Day rally that started in the same location at 5:00 p.m. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez made a brief appearance at a stage set up in front of the courthouses, speaking out in favor of workers’ rights and against billionaires and the Trump administration.
In the words of the New York Civil Liberties Union (one of the organizers of the rally):
“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. [Let’s] fight back against the Trump administration’s attempts to target immigrant families, defund our schools, and privatize public services.”
Protestors then started marching down Broadway, peaceful but determined, as lines of cops on foot and on bicycles waited idly on the sidelines.
There do seem to have been sizeable protests in cities and towns across the country. Even the New York Times reported on the demonstrations prominently on its front page.
While it was inspiring to see the scale of the demonstrations nationwide, this simply cannot be the end of public protest. Let’s hope it signals, instead, an important beginning.
6/6 will be a protest for veterans and 6/14 will be the next big day of protests. The plan is to keep them coming, large and small. In cities, suburbs and small towns.