FORT GRATIOT, MI — About 80 people gathered Friday evening along 24th Avenue near Keewahdin Road outside Birchwood Mall to take part in a May Day protest supporting workers and immigrants’ rights.
Despite temperatures in the low 40s and a cold wind, attendees remained along the roadside.
“My anger keeps me warm,” Melody Day said.
She said her sign was meant to highlight what she sees as inequality between wealthy families and others. “People say Barron (Trump) is too tall to get drafted, but that’s not the point of my sign — the point is that rich people and Trump’s kids get government drone contracts while our kids get drafted.”
The event, organized by Blue Water Indivisible, took place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. May 1 at 4350 24th Ave. in Fort Gratiot Township.
“This is a great turnout,” said John Reed, a Blue Water Indivisible organizer. Reed said the event focused on issues including wages and labor rights, which he said are central to May Day.
May 1, known as May Day, is widely observed around the world as a day honoring workers and labor movements. The observance traces back to 1886, when workers across the United States staged strikes demanding an eight-hour workday, culminating in the Haymarket Affair in Chicago.
While May Day is recognized internationally, it is not an official holiday in the United States. Instead, the country observes Labor Day in September, a shift that dates back to 1894.
In recent years, May Day has seen renewed use in the United States for demonstrations focused on labor rights, economic inequality and, in some cases, immigration issues.
Annie Austin, one of the founders of Blue Water Indivisible, said she was encouraged by the turnout.
“I’m excited to have the number of people we have here today — it’s a Friday evening, so it says a lot that our crowd is good-sized and growing,” Austin said. “Workers’ rights matter, voting rights matter — all of those things, so here we are.”
Dan Danner, treasurer of Blue Water Indivisible, said he has opposed President Donald Trump for decades.
“He’s just not a nice person,” Danner said.
Contact reporter Andy Jeffrey at ajeffrey@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: May Day protest in Fort Gratiot highlights labor and immigration issues
Reporting by Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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