LYNN — As chants echoed off the steps of Lynn City Hall and fists rose into the evening air, workers, teachers, immigrants, and organizers packed the square on May 1 with a shared message that cut through the noise of a divided political moment.
On Friday evening, May 1, more than 300 people gathered outside Lynn City Hall to mark International Workers’ Day with a rally that blended history, protest, and solidarity.
Organized as part of the nationwide “May Day Strong 2026” day of action, under a shared message that workers must come before billionaires. The rally also featured speakers and protesters advocating for immigration rights, stopping international wars, and improving housing affordability.
May Day, created by the 1886 labor movement for an eight-hour workday, has long symbolized collective action.
That spirit was alive in Lynn, where chants, speeches, and personal testimonies emphasized unity across industries and backgrounds.
“We remember the past, and we fight for our future,” Jeff Crosby, a founder and advisor to the New Lynn Coalition, told the crowd, urging attendees to “raise your fists” and pledge to defend democracy.
Many attendees described the rally as a response to growing economic inequality and political tensions.
Michael Paquette, of Swampscott, an events organizer with North Shore Indivisible, said, “It’s really important to support our neighbors… rent control is huge, immigration issues, immigrant rights, democracy.”
Dr. Mariah Lancaster, a congressional candidate for the 6th district, said, “I believe that the power of unions is the power of working people. There is nothing more important as person, let alone a member of the working class, than to support other workers. And the beauty of May Day is that both memorialization of the struggle and the ability to stand in solidarity with one another today, which is more important now than ever.”
The rally was not just about policy. Lynn City Council President, Constantino “Coco” Alinsug, shared, “I’m an immigrant myself… I’ve seen friends and family taken, so it’s really important for me to show up here and give that support.”
Janna Dwyer, a Beverly teacher, echoed that sentiment: “I’m here because I care about other people, and I want all people to have what they need… May Day is a great day to come out and show our collective power.”
Lynn School Committee member Tristin Smith said, “I’m just here to show solidarity with everyone who’s being impacted by what’s happening at the Federal level. Whether they’re dealing with housing rights, just whether it’s the out-of-control immigration enforcement, or all of us who are impacted by the endless wars happening around the world, whether directly or indirectly. All of those are reasons to be here.”
Others pointed to economic pressures and technological change. Software engineer Bethany Andres-Beck, a congressional candidate for the 6th district, said that while developing user-friendly interfaces, “The only way I’ve seen it work is when workers get together… It’s our fingers on the keyboards.”
Frustration with wealth inequality and political leadership was also evident. Marblehead resident, Cathy Marie Michael, said, “I cannot stand what’s going on in this country… the billionaires are ruling the country.”
She also expressed hope in collective action. “Camaraderie for community — that’s number one.”
Activist and Marblehead resident Judith Black, wearing a costume of a penguin, said, “I always try to mix climate message with the political message, because we have pretty much destroyed our climate.” She was wearing the costume as a way to bring attention to climate initiatives as well as to protest ICE.
She added, “What’s exciting about this is watching activist organizations and labor organizations work together. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s so inspiring.”
Lynnfield resident, John Beccia, a congressional candidate for the 6th district, highlighted the importance of solidarity across issues: “We’re here to support groups, especially our unions and our immigrants… we need to rebuild our communities.”
He added, “We need to stop with a lot of the rhetoric and just start helping people. It’s great to see so many different groups come together. That’s the best, especially in this community in Lynn, we just have so many groups working together for positive change.”
The Lynn rally was one of many held across the country as part of May Day Strong 2026, a coordinated effort calling for “No Work, No School, No Shopping” to demonstrate the power of collective economic action.
A Chapter President of SEIU-509 representing more than 100 employees at the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, Jim Badger-Aguilar said, “The more of us are out here — refusing to work, refusing to go to school, refusing to shop — it starts to really affect the people at the top.”
“On May Day,” Crosby declared, “we answer… in Lynn and across the world.”
