May Day Protests across NYC call for Taxes on the rich, No ICE, NO WAR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Friday, May 1, 2026

Contact: Stephanie Luce, May Day Strong NYC | (413) 896-6390 | stephluce@gmail.com | press@maydaystrong.org

From Amazon to Foley Square, May Day Protests Sweep New York City

[New York, NY] — On Friday, May 1, workers, students, immigrants, and families in New York City held protests across the five boroughs, joining over 1,000 cities nationwide with events organized by the May Day Strong movement to demand, “Workers Over Billionaires.” 

Protests led by unions and community organizations will be focused on three key demands:

1. Tax the rich so our families, not their fortunes, come first.
2. No ICE, NO War. No private army serving authoritarian power.
3. Expand democracy, not corporate rule. Defend free and fair elections.

May Day has found new resonance in a New York City where families have been forced to choose between rent and groceries, while the governor and legislators are still unable to agree on taxing billionaires and ICE continues to terrorize the immigrant communities who make up over a third of the city’s population. This year’s protest will likely be the largest since the historic 2006 “Day without an Immigrant” marches.

Today’s diverse actions will include

• A march to Jeff Bezos’ penthouse exposing the ecommerce giant’s facilitation of the deportation infrastructure under the slogan “Amazon Delivers ICE” and led by workers trying to organize a union at Amazon, 
• A mass rally led by the NYC Central Labor Council and New York Immigration Coalition uniting tens of thousands of workers and immigrant families in a street march to Foley Square and the immigration courtrooms where agents have kidnapped people at their hearings, 
• Pickets of Target, Whole Foods, and Citizens Bank in Brooklyn highlighting the harm these corporations are doing and their cooperation with authoritarianism,
• A celebration and after party supporting the organizing of federal workers to resist agency relocations, union-busting and to save public services, hosted by the United Federation of Teachers.

“On May Day, we show our strength as a labor movement that understands the need for solidarity among unionized and unorganized workers, among native born and immigrant laborers, among our students, faculty and staff,” said James Davis, President of the Professional Staff Congress, the union of educators at CUNY campuses.

Key labor unions have backed the protests. “This May Day, thousands of UAW members will unite with workers all over New York City to fight back against the increasing authoritarian attacks on the working class at home and abroad” said Brandon Mancilla, Director of UAW Region 9A.  “As we prepare for a showdown with the corporate class on May Day 2028, UAW members are active in every city, fighting for living wages, universal healthcare, a dignified retirement, and time off to spend with our families.”

The protests have a clear and specific pro-worker set of demands. “As Trump continues his illegal wars across the globe and prices rise, necessities of life are no longer affordable for the vast majority of workers as billionaires and corrupt politicians continue to profit,” said Gustavo Gordillo, co-chair, NYC Democratic Socialists of America. “NYC-DSA stands with New York’s unions and the working class movement to call for the passage of New York for All, Dignity Not Detention, and a state budget that taxes millionaires and corporations, putting the profits of stolen labor back into the public good.”

All kinds of workers are involved, from forest rangers to nurses.  “Federal workers march on May Day because both our personal interests and the jobs we are meant to perform are opposed to the billionaire agenda, Yes, we march to ensure that our democracy serves the people again, but also to build a movement for reconstructing a better government than ever before.” said Christopher Dols, Executive Director of the Federal Unionists Network (FUN). 

Mitch Israel, an Amazon organizer with Teamsters’ Local 804, added that “Amazon’s cloud computing powers ICE, Homeland Security, and Palant, propping up the American war machine that diverts tax dollars from New York schools and social services. For the first time this May Day, a broad coalition is standing together to say enough is enough to Amazon’s abuse of workers and their support of the deportation infrastructure.” 

More information about the local efforts is available at https://mayday.nycand about the national campaign at https://www.maydaystrong.org

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