May Day protesters rally at Mississippi Capitol against President Trump policies
Billed as the "May Day Strong" rally, the event was organized by the Mississippi chapter of the 50501 movement, the name of which stands for "50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement."
In some countries, May Day is a public holiday honoring labor. Protesters who rallied in Jackson say much of their message focuses on fighting back against Trump's policies affecting immigrants and federal workers.
"Not for profit. Not for greed. People first, is what we need," protesters chanted.
Just over 100 days into Trump's second term, protesters spoke of their concerns with Trump's agenda, governing style and expansion of executive authority.
Around noon, approximately 40 people attended Thursday's protest, a smaller turnout compared to the last two events with more than 400 participants. Attendance size remained consistent with the initial rallies. By the end of the May 1 event, numbers grew to 140 people.
Among the crowd was protester David Wood, a migrant-worker advocate. Wood criticized the current administration for "demonizing" migrant workers. Wood stated that migrant workers do not drive down wages, take jobs away from Americans, nor do they come to the country to commit crimes.
"I am sickened by the way the extreme right and its media outlets, led by the current U.S. President, maligns and illegally imprisons immigrants undocumented and documented alike," Wood said. "Anyone paranoid about a globalizing and multiracial society needs to place their fears on someone else ... Immigrant workers are not criminals."
Protester Erica Jones, executive director of the Mississippi Association of Educators, emphasized the importance of supporting "one of the state's most essential" fields of employment — public education. Jones is also a 20-year second-grade teacher.
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Jones spoke about how Trump and current legislators have started the process of dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.
According to the White House, Trump ordered Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in March "to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely."
Previous Clarion Ledger reporting noted that a White House official acknowledged the agency would keep administering "critical programs" and cannot be fully dissolved without congressional approval. But it will operate at a smaller scale with fewer employees.
Jones stated she believes these changes will impact students and the teacher shortage in Mississippi. Jones said the state's education system cannot progress without adequate federal funding, adding "we must have those funds to operate."
"Our public schools provide equal opportunities for all children, not the ones that are cherry-picked. All children," Jones said. "Public schools are great resources. They are equalizers.
"Let's think about Madison County or Rankin County but then compare it to those communities and zip codes in the Mississippi Delta. Not all schools are created equal, and that's why it's so important that we continue to invest our public dollars in our public schools."
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Denise Pilgrim of Madison and Dianne Martin of Clinton, 74-year-old twin sisters, attended the protest, citing multiple reasons for their participation, with the need for a "formal government" being the most significant.
Thursday's demonstration marked Pilgrim's first time participating in a political protest and only the second time for Martin.
"I've been independent all my life, but I've probably voted Republican more than Democrat. So, I'm saying this from a purple standpoint," Pilgrim said. "In all my life I have never ever seen one man try to absorb so much authority in our country. Our country is a republic. It's a democracy. It needs to stay that way. It scares me to death that people are not in Congress are not standing up against him."
The sisters said they both wanted members of Congress to work together for the benefit of the country. For Martin, she said she hopes "everything gets more centrist."
"(Congress) used to talk across the aisle and they came up with legislation. And now they seem like they just follow the president, whoever it might be," Martin said.
Pilgrim added to her sister's sentiments stating, "I want to see everybody work together. I want to quit all this hate, this division. And mostly, I want to see Congress stand up and do their job."
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: May Day protest rally in Jackson MS against Donald Trump, DOGE
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