Thousands rally for May Day demonstrations in Los Angeles

May Day protest in DTLA

The Los Angeles May Day Coalition, which includes nearly 90 labor unions and thousands of workers and residents, is anticipating its largest turnout yet.

LOS ANGELES - Thousands of union members and immigrant rights advocates gathered in Downtown Los Angeles for a series of rallies and marches to celebrate International Workers' Day, also known as May Day. 

Other groups taking part include the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, the Los Angeles Federation of Labor, United Teachers Los Angeles and Alliance for a Better Community.
 

What we know:

Participants demanded accountability from elected officials and advocating for the protection of workers' and immigrants' rights. 

The main really began at 9 a.m. at the intersection of W Olympic & S Figueroa in Downtown LA, followed by a march to the Metropolitan Detention Center at 535 Alameda St.

There were no reports of any disturbances or arrests associated with the march.

May Day protest in DTLA

Thousands of union members and immigrant rights advocates gathered in Downtown Los Angeles for a series of rallies and marches to celebrate International Workers' Day, also known as May Day.

Among the groups taking part in that action will be United Teachers Los Angeles, Teamsters Local 396, Legalization for All Network, MORENA-LA, Eastside Padres, Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council, La Mesa Brown Berets, Centro CSO, CISPES, Union del Barrio and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The marches come two days after thousands of striking Los Angeles County workers represented by SEIU Local 721 held a mass protest that moved through the streets of downtown. The SEIU strike began Monday night and ended Wednesday night.

SUGGESTED: LA County workers end 48-hour strike

The backstory:

Last year's May Day mobilization led to closures across Hollywood, and organizers expect this year's events to draw even larger crowds. May Day, celebrated globally, is a day of action for labor rights and immigrant advocacy, with events taking place across the United States.

Local perspective:

Los Angeles is a focal point for May Day activities, reflecting the city's diverse population and strong labor movement. The rallies and marches provide a platform for local communities to voice their concerns and demand change from policymakers.

Big picture view:

International Workers' Day is recognized in many countries around the world, with its origins dating back to the 1880s and initially supporting the establishment of an eight-hour work day. 

In the United States, the May 1 date was chosen to commemorate a general strike that began on the date in 1886 and ended with the Haymarket affair of May 4, 1886, when a peaceful rally in Chicago's Haymarket Square in support of workers ended with an unknown person throwing a dynamite bomb at police as they acted to disperse the meeting. Eleven people were killed and nearly 200 others injured.

These demonstrations highlight the ongoing struggle for workers' rights and immigrant protections, emphasizing the importance of collective action in driving social change.