May Day protests in Newark, Jersey City bring out support for causes

• A protest in Newark on May Day went from the Lincoln Statue on Springfield Avenue to the Peter Rodino Federal Building on Broad Street.
• Protest in Jersey City on May 1 went from City Hall on Grove Street to the Hudson River waterfront.

Protests marched through two of the largest cities in New Jersey on May Day.

On a cool, sunny Friday morning, activists gathered at the Abraham Lincoln statue on Springfield Avenue in Newark for a rally, followed by a march to Broad Street.

Later that afternoon, protesters met in front of City Hall in Jersey City and continued their protest by walking down to the Hudson River waterfront before making their way back to City Hall.

The protests are among many on May 1 taking place across New Jersey and nationwide as part of an effort known as May Day Strong to call attention to such issues as the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, taxing the wealthy, affordability, and corporate power, while also calling on the public to do “no work, no school, no shopping” if not protesting.

Montclair resident Karen Szczepanski was one of the participants and part of a small group of protesters taking part in a 50-mile, several-day march starting from the Lincoln Statue in Newark and ending in Trenton on May 7. That march is to call on state legislators to pass a bill to make fossil fuel companies pay billions for pollution.

“Part of the May Day celebrations today is to highlight the destruction that the Trump Administration is doing to the environment,” Szczepanski said. “This affects all of our communities. Not just Newark, not Jersey City, it affects all of our communities.”

Longtime Newark activist Larry Hamm led attendees in a chant of “Happy May Day” as he addressed them about how the federal minimum wage in the country have been stagnant for years before embarking on a march in Downtown Newark.

”CEO pay has increased, bosses pay has increased, management pay has increased. It’s time for the workers pay to increase,” Hamm said.

Ricardo Kaulessar covers race, immigration, and culture for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com

Twitter/X: @ricardokaul