Annual May Day protest draws smaller crowd than expected

On Friday, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Fountain of Freedom next to Robertson Hall for the annual May Day March organized by local immigrant advocacy group Resistencia en Acción. The purpose of the march, held in recognition of International Workers’ Day, was to call for stronger labor laws, immigrant rights, and the end of U.S. involvement in wars abroad. 

In an email to The Daily Princetonian, Princeton Police Department Captain Thomas Lagomarsino estimated that 200–250 people attended the demonstration — a sharp decline from last year’s march, which drew over 700 participants. In a press release sent a week before this year’s march, event organizers stated that they expected more than 1,200 attendees.

The march saw participation from more than 30 organizations across New Jersey, including Princeton College Democrats, the Princeton Latin American Student Association, Students for Justice in Palestine, Students for Prison Education, Abolition and Reform (SPEAR), Sunrise Princeton, and Princeton Young Democratic Socialists of America. The event also doubled as a celebration of Resistencia’s 17th birthday.

In an interview with the ‘Prince’ prior to the march, May Day coordinator Jenni Lopez shared her motivations for joining Resistencia, citing her experience being raised by immigrant parents from Guatemala.

“They were here for the American dream. But it’s a dream that quickly has turned into a nightmare — one where they are… getting underpaid five dollars an hour,” Lopez said.

Speaking to the crowd, she condemned arrests made by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) since President Donald Trump’s second term began. 

Over the past year and a half, there have been 17 reported detainments in Princeton.

“We don’t want ICE in our streets anymore. We don’t want ICE kidnapping all of our neighbors in broad daylight. We want to say no to these wars, not just in Palestine, not just in Iran, not in Cuba — nowhere,” Lopez said to the crowd.

“Workers’ rights are human rights, because when we cannot afford to live, when we cannot afford to have a home, we are not allowed to be alive,” she continued.

During the event, New Jersey’s 12th congressional district Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman spoke to the crowd about workers’ rights and the responsibility of government to the people.

“Workers need to be paid wages that they can raise families on, and make sure that they have shelter [and] food on the table,” Coleman said.

She also encouraged protesters to take to the polls for the upcoming midterm elections. Several candidates are seeking to succeed Coleman, who decided not to run for another term. 

“Every policy that is dropped, every illegal executive order that is signed, has to do with whether or not we show up and decide who is going to represent us,” Coleman said. “Promise me that you will stand up, that you will fight for every single person that needs our help, that you will vote and you will hold whoever you vote for accountable.” 

After speakers concluded, protesters took to Nassau Street, chanting slogans such as “Tax the Rich,” “ICE out,” and “Free Palestine,” voicing opposition to federal actions.

Several N.J.-12 candidates were also present at the event, and multiple spoke with the ‘Prince’ during the event about how the event aligned with their campaign. 

“Humanity shouldn’t just be a talking point,” N.J.-12 candidate Shanel Robinson, Somerset County commissioner director, said. “In order for me to lead, I have to be among the people.”

Princeton professor Sam Wang, an N.J.-12 candidate who was also present at the demonstration, said that solidarity is vital at a time when voting rights are under attack by the Supreme Court. He expressed support for judicial reform, calling for an expansion of the Supreme Court and enacting term limits for justices.

“We need a new Voting Rights Act, and Congress needs to rein in a runaway Supreme Court that’s been captured by extreme interests,” Wang said.

Several local politicians were also present for the march as observers. In interviews with the ‘Prince,’ they cited a wide variety of motivations for attending.

“I’m here to support free speech, and to make sure that our residents feel free to exercise their First Amendment rights and to let them know that Princeton supports everyone’s right to assemble and to speak freely,” Princeton Councilwoman Mia Sacks said.

The march comes shortly after a local controversy over proposed changes to the municipality’s special events regulations. At a Princeton Council meeting last month, activists from Resistencia and other activist organizations voiced opposition to the proposed changes, citing First Amendment concerns. Councilmembers said they were working to draft an updated ordinance. 

Other councilmembers, including Leighton Newlin and Council President Michelle Pirone Lambros, emphasized the need for solidarity during a time of fear.

“I’m out here to support people who are going through difficult and challenging times, who are facing human difficulties,” Newlin said.

Pirone Lambros echoed these sentiments, adding that her message to Princeton residents during this period of uncertainty is to trust local law enforcement, who she reiterated is not cooperating with federal authorities on non-criminal matters.

“They should feel trust with our local police force,” she said.

Organizers similarly emphasized the importance of confronting that fear through collective action.

“If we let that fear paralyze us, then we’re not gonna be able to move anywhere. That’s the idea of organizing,” Resistencia Executive Director Ana Paolo Pazmiño said in an interview before the event.

In his email, Lagomarsino shared logistical details of the event, saying that the route was agreed to by event organizers, municipal officials, and the police department to ensure minimal disruption while permitting participants to freely express the cause.

According to his email, all guidelines were followed. “Although there were a few minor verbal disagreements between participants and members of the public, nothing escalated, and the event ended successfully,” Lagomarsino wrote. 

The entire demonstration lasted three hours, beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. The one-mile march ended at Community Park and was followed by testimonials from community members, several of whom shared personal stories of their family’s struggles, including being detained by ICE or experiencing wage theft by their employers.

Community member Félix Rafael shared his experience with wage theft, and spoke about how support from Resistencia, his family, and the community empowered him to eventually recover unpaid wages from a landscaping contractor.

“We have to stop being scared. We don’t have to be scared because we can do this,” Rafael told the crowd via a translator.

A local high school student also spoke at the event to share the experience of her family when her father was detained by ICE for over six months.

“During that time, my family lived in fear every single day, not knowing if he was okay. No family should have to go through that,” she said to the crowd.

She urged attendees to reject apathy and take action in the face of fear and uncertainty.

“If this matters to you, act. Don’t wait for someone else to step up; be that person … this fight is not over, and what we do next matters,” she concluded.

Toby Chang is a staff News writer from Prescott, Ariz. He can be reached at toby.chang[at]princeton.edu.

Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.