Baton Rouge holds May Day rally, calls for end to attacks on workers and immigrants
Baton Rouge, LA – On Sunday, May 4, Baton Rouge held a May Day rally at the State Capitol building, taking the fight for worker and immigrant rights directly to the seat of the state government. Demonstrators united on the steps of the capitol with signs and banners in hand to voice their support for the working class movement and their opposition to the Trump administration’s attacks.
Protesters chanted, “Trump, hear us loud and clear! Immigrants are welcome here!” and “The workers, united, will never be defeated!”
Speakers from the organizations then spoke to the demonstrators about the fight for workers’ rights during the Trump administration.
Enola Guyer of Students for a Democratic Society at Louisiana State University stated, “In the past 104 days Donald Trump has shown time and time again what we already knew. He does not, and will never, care for the workers and immigrants that are the foundation of this country.”
Guyer concluded by calling for an end to these attacks., saying, “We demand the end of university compliance, student visa revocations, mass deportations, and the protection of our free speech!”
Zane Sutor-Benfield of Freedom Road Socialist Organization said, “Solidarity means union power, it means unity with your coworkers, no matter their skin color, gender or immigration status. Solidarity isn’t exclusive to the labor movement. It means unity between all oppressed people, all victims of capitalist exploitation. None of us are free until all of us are free.”
Sutor-Benfield closed by saying, “I’m not going to play down the severity of this moment. These are dangerous times for anyone who isn’t a rich oligarch bleeding this country dry, but I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid because I know that when we fight together, we win together, and now is the time to fight.”