SWAMPSCOTT — Crowds gathered on Humphrey Street Monday afternoon protesting against President Trump and the billionaires who support his Administration, joining a national string of similar protests called “Workers over Billionaires” that spanned throughout the United States on Labor Day.
As 3 p.m. rolled around, dozens of people poured onto the scene holding colorful signs that had messages like: “Protest is Patriotic,” “Hate Will Not Make You Great,” and “Dump Trump.” The local movement was organized by May Day Strong, a grassroots advocacy group that seeks to “stop the billionaire takeover of the country,” according to its mission statement online.
Michael Paquett, who helps organize weekly rallies on Monument Avenue against the Trump Administration, expressed that local activism helps generate an impact on the problem.
“It’s very important to be here today, I always tell people: ‘I’ll be doing this until he’s out of office,’ I just think it’s an extremely important thing that’s making a difference,” Paquett said. “That’s how things have happened in the past: by speaking up.”
Kathleen Atkinson, a volunteer with North Shore Indivisible, a grassroots progressive organization, said that “we need to stand up and say that workers deserve to get paid correctly.”
One resident and local advocate, Gloria Kozlosky, showed up to the event not only with her own hand-made sign — but also with a red, white and blue umbrella — with each section containing its own message.
“I fear for our democracy. As a retired person, this is one thing I can do: make signs, stand up and let people know that I don’t agree with what’s going on in our country… I feel that it’s an obligation to defend our democracy,” Kozlosky said.
There were countless protests in places all throughout Massachusetts, including: Avon, Boston, Brockton, Burlington, Canton, Clinton, Eastham, Great Barrington, Holliston, Holyoke, Ipswich, Lawrence, Needham, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Randolph, Sandwich, Scituate, Tisbury, Waltham, West Stockbridge, Westfield, Westminster, Weymouth, Worcester.
Christine Parker, a member of Firebrand Boston — a revolutionist socialist organization — said she and the organization are always in support of workers’ rights.
“I think it’s important for those of us that have a voice to come out and show support for the resistance… In today’s political climate, I think it’s important to use our voices to fight back,” Parker said.
May Day Strong described itself as a group of working people rising up to stop the billionaire takeover “not just through the ballot box or the courts, but through building a bigger and stronger movement,” according to its mission statement online.
The organization listed several demands to try and improve the situation:
- Stop the billionaire takeover corrupting our government.
- Protect and defend Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs for working people.
- Fully funded schools, and healthcare and housing for all.
- Stop the attacks on immigrants, Black, indigenous, trans people, and all our communities.
- Invest in people, not wars.
Ginger Burr said the workers are the people who built our country.
“We’re the ones who help the billionaires, unfortunately, get where they are… It’s all off the backs of workers, and most of our country is made of workers,” Burr said. “I hope people realize that we’re in more dire straits than we think we are, because we haven’t felt all of the repercussions of what the Trump regime has done, yet, but we will.”
Lesley Lake — who showed up to fight against billionaires and fascism — shared similar sentiments, noting that the “Trump regime is turning America into a fascist oligarchy, and he’s doing nothing for workers’ rights.”
