Demonstrators around the country took to the streets Thursday for May Day protests against President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies. .
The 50501 movement (50 protests, 50 states, one day) has held several demonstrations since Trump took office, including one on President’s Day, and another on May Day, also known as International Workers' Day.
May Day is traditionally a celebration of workers’ rights and the arrival of a new season, but this year, many across the country used it as a call to action, echoing with chants for democracy.
A crowd of protesters gathered at the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge Thursday. Protest organizer Victoria Domingue said she’s encouraged to see more people speaking out, especially in a state dominated by Republicans.
“ I've had random people off the street joining us happy that this was happening 'cause they thought Louisiana was not going to protest about this. One of our biggest issues in Louisiana is not that we're red, it's that they rule us through ignorance and through us not knowing things,” Domingue said.
Sue Phillips of Baton Rouge said the turning point for her was watching Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy be treated as a villain during his last visit to the White House. She’s been joining local protests ever since.
“It just seems to be getting worse and worse. Our privileges, our freedoms. They're arresting U.S. citizens. They're trying to get ICE to be able to arrest U.S. citizens. It just doesn't make sense. This is not America,” said Phillips.
Some elementary students on a field trip witnessed the protest. Phillips took the opportunity to talk to them.
”I actually stopped them and because they asked ‘What does your sign say?’ So, I told them what it said, and I said, ‘Look guys, this is what democracy looks like. This is what you should be able to do, is to protest peacefully, but protest,” Phillips recalled.
Protesters also gathered at LSU, the state’s flagship university.
Steve Crump, a retired minister at the Unitarian Church in Baton Rouge, said that since Trump began his second term, he has carried not only a Bible but also another sacred document with him.
“ I brought the U.S. Constitution. It's in my back pocket. So, I find that I needed to take it off the shelf and travel with it. Keep it handy. Keep it in my glove box,” said Crump.
