May Day rallies were held across the country and in San Diego to voice opposition to the Trump administration’s policies.
Organizers used the occasion to highlight concerns ranging from elevated gas prices to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
“There’s so many horrible things going on in our country right now that I just needed to be with like minded people,” said teacher Nancy Yamagata, a member of the Sweetwater Education Association in Chula Vista.
“The working class made this country. At the end of the day we’re going to have to unite in order to resist what’s happening,” she added.
Hundreds gathered at Chicano Park for a rally billed as a day of action. Activists said it’s a day for San Diego workers to “fight back against the AI billionaires and the Trump administration who attack immigrant communities, strip workers’ rights, and rig the economy.”
Alex and George Cabandong brought their 4-year-old daughter to the rally.
“Unity, I want her to see how it’s important for us all to stick together and support one another for a better future for everyone,” said Alex Cabandong.
Several unions took part in the rally. The crowd marched from Chicano Park to Sherman Heights, to City College, to downtown. The march ended at the Federal Building.
Organizers encouraged attendees to refrain from shopping and work to demonstrate the economic power of the working class.
“On this May Day, we want to highlight the struggles of workers across country and here in San Diego. They have dignity, they should be respected. The values they promote of working for their families are the ones we should be upholding, not targeting them, not separating them and causing greater harm,” said Pedro Rios with the American Friends Service Committee, the group organizing the rally at Chicano Park.
Working families across the region face financial strain from high gas and grocery prices. He said many households also live in fear that ICE enforcement actions will separate them from relatives. Protesters are emphasizing that the working class forms the backbone of the economy and deserves respect and recognition.
The San Diego rallies followed a planned route beginning at Chicano Park and proceeding through Sherman Heights Community Center, City College, the Civic Center and concluding at the Federal Building in the late afternoon.
Additional rallies were scheduled throughout the day at San Diego International Airport at 2 p.m., Waterfront Park at 4 p.m., and Balderrama Park in Oceanside at 6 p.m.