On Tuesday, Sept. 2, Trump’s policies sparked protests in many cities across the United States on Labor Day. A great number of angry and exhausted, hard-working citizens gathered in the streets to criticize and challenge the current “living wage” for many workers across the U.S
In Chicago, IL, and New York City, NY, demonstrations by One Fair Wage were made to put the spotlight on the hard workers in the U.S. The minimum wage in the U.S currently is $7.25 an hour, which is nowhere near enough to keep up with the prices rising everywhere in the U.S. Protesters fiercely chanted “Trump must go now,” right outside of President Trump’s old home in New York.
Large crowds of protesters also came together in front of the Trump Tower in Chicago, while even bigger crowds gathered in San Francisco, CA, and Washington, D.C. At Trump Tower, which is commonplace for protests since it is a symbol of the president’s wealth, Demonstrators waved banners and signs for an end to a “fascist regime” against the ICE agency. Large crowds came together with signs saying “Stop the ICE invasion” and umbrellas painted with “Free D.C. No masked thugs.”
Hundreds more gathered at protests along the West Coast to fight for the rights of workers and immigrants.
During a protest in Chicago, the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, Daniel Biss, rose and said, “We’re here because we’re under attack. We’re here because our core values and our democracy is under attack. We are here because they are threatening to send the military into our streets,” He said as he stood up for workers. After this, he was seen as a giant symbol for the President to help workers and immigrants.
At some point, a woman got out of a car with Iowa plates in Chicago and shouted “Long Live Donald Trump” multiple times. This resulted in protesters responding with their own shouts not long after the woman left. Ziri Marquez, a 25-year-old individual activist, showed great concern about issues that cross over from the U.S to around the world. She talked of anti-migrant attitudes in the U.S and the many deaths of Palestinians in Gaza.
“I think especially, you know, when we’re dealing with low wages and we’re dealing with a stagnant economy, immigrants are largely used as a scapegoat,” Marquez said worryingly.
From San Diego to the West Coast to Seattle, hundreds came together in rallies to call for a stop to the “billionaire takeover.” Groups supporting federal workers’ rights. Rally organizer, May Day Strong, said on its website, “billionaires are stealing from working families, destroying our democracy, and building private armies to attack our towns and cities.”
They called for people to take collective action to stop the “billionaire takeover.” Protesters from Portland, OR, Lynda Oakley of Beaverton, told Oregon Live that her frustrations with immigration, health care, and Social Security inspired her to join the march.
This giant protest and brave protesters standing up or what they believe in have made a huge difference as a result, and have given many people some hope for the future of the U.S.A.
