Every year, members of labor unions and others take to the street to stand up for various causes on May Day. But this year, the May 1st event lands with more urgency as upheaval by the Trump Administration has sparked concerns about everything from mass firings at federal agencies to abrupt deportations that have drawn scrutiny from the courts.

In Baltimore, there will be seven marches across the city on Thursday that come together at one big rally at McKeldin Square at the Inner Harbor.

The theme this year is “Stop the Billionaire Takeover,” and organizers expect the event to draw teachers, children, immigrants, artists, students and faculty.

Central to the different protests and the 50-plus partnering organizations are efforts to combat actions by the Trump Administration that they believe are harming their communities.

Rallies from Washington to Los Angeles have not attracted the massive crowds seen during the first Trump administration, though they appear to be more numerous.

“The actions of the first 100 days of the Trump Administration have touched everyone’s life in this country, and especially so in Baltimore,” says Anna Evans-Goldstein, a leading organizer. “This is really a chance and an opportunity for everyone … to show up and stand together at the same time and say that we are going to stop the billionaire takeover and stop corruption in our communities. And we want to speak very loudly to show people that we are the many, and they are the few.”

Trump this week hailed his first 100 days as a triumph, despite polls that show him with the lowest popularity of any president at this juncture in 80 years. He boasted about his “mass deportation” efforts at a rally in Michigan.

“Removing the invaders is not just a campaign pledge,” Trump told the crowd. “It’s my solemn duty as commander-in-chief. I have an obligation to save our country.”

Here are some things to know about Thursday’s rallies in Baltimore:

Traffic and delays

At 4 p.m., four marches — the March for Palestine, Hands Off Our Students and Faculty, 99 vs. 1 and March for Cultural Workers — will kick off at McKeldin Plaza, Penn Station, City Hall and Central Enoch Pratt Free Library, respectively.

A half-hour later, three more marches start at the following locations: The Family and Kid March for Justice at Rash Field, March for Migrant Justice at Columbus Park and March for Worker Justice at Camden Yards.

The protests will take place at the start of the evening rush hour, though the Baltimore Orioles are off Thursday, so there is no home game. Rain is expected in the late afternoon.

“DOT will be monitoring traffic conditions throughout the day on Thursday and will deploy Transportation Enforcement Officers to direct/manage traffic if conditions warrant during the May Day demonstrations,” said Kathy Dominick, a spokesperson for Baltimore City Department of Transportation.

Due to the scheduled rallies in downtown Baltimore, the Maryland Transit Administration warns of possible service delays across Express BusLink, CityLink, LocalLink, Metro SubwayLink, and Light RailLink. Riders are advised to allow extra travel time and check official channels for updates.

History of May Day

May 1 became International Workers Day in 1889 in honor of the efforts of labor organizers during the Haymarket Affair, a peaceful rally that turned violent as workers pushed for an eight-hour workday, according to the American Postal Workers Union.

Tracy Lingo, president of Unite Here Local 7 Baltimore, called organized labor “the backbone of resistance.”

Concerns about safety while protesting — especially in an environment where protesters have been arrested — are valid, Lingo said. But it would be more dangerous for unions and other groups to be silent and not push back against the Trump Administration, she said.

“Labor will always be an organized institute for dissent,” Lingo said.

More than a dozen labor unions have signed on for Thursday’s protests in the city, in addition to Unite Here. They include major unions such as AFSCME Maryland Council 3 and 1199 SEIU.

Max Obuszewski, a founding member of the Baltimore Nonviolence Center who has been a part of many peace initiatives, said he hasn’t seen any large May Day demonstrations in the 40 years he’s been here. But with Trump in the White House again, he said, that’s changing.

“I would have never guessed in my time that we would see a situation where our flawed democracy could be eliminated,” Obuszewski said. “One of the worst things that’s happening is trying to get rid of DEI. … Closing down the U.S. Institute of Peace … and these people are getting fired. They’re cutting funding. It’s abominable.”

Obuszewski plans to attend the March for Palestine tomorrow and is eager to see how many people turn out.

War in Gaza

One of the protests, the March for Palestine, is a joint effort by several groups: About Face: Veterans Against the War, Baltimore Artists Against Apartheid, Council of American-Islamic Relations Baltimore, Greater Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America and Jewish Voice for Peace Baltimore.

The groups came together to protest the war in Gaza and express their resistance to free speech suppression efforts.

The war began on Oct. 7, 2023 when Hamas launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage. Israel responded with retaliatory airstrikes and an incursion into Gaza, and the territory’s Health Ministry say more than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed.

“As Veterans, we’re disgusted that elected officials are using our military and our tax dollars to fuel obvious war crimes in Gaza while they simultaneously cut our lifesaving VA benefits and Medicaid,” said Ariel McIntosh, a Navy veteran and member of About Face: Veterans Against the War.

He added, “On this International Workers Day we call on workers and military members to stand up in solidarity with Palestinians.”

‘Nobody voted for this’

Another gathering, the 99 vs. 1 march, seeks to remind people of the power they wield in a democracy. Polls show many people are concerned about the role of the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, in ordering cuts at federal agencies. The billionaire is CEO of Tesla, the electric car company.

The 99 vs. 1 march was organized by Allies for Democracy, Baltimore County Progressive Democrats Club, Free State Coalition, Indivisible Baltimore County, Love Thy Neighbor and Tesla Takedown.

“The point of the May Day protest is to demonstrate the strength of our growing movement for democracy, to empower everyone watching with the knowledge that many of us are saying NO to this anti-democratic billionaire takeover,” a spokesperson for Allies for Democracy said in a statement. “Many people voted for Trump because they were worried about inflation and the price of eggs. Nobody voted for this.”

‘Baltimore has not seen anything like this’

Organizers say they are excited to see such a varied group of people band together.

“I’m thrilled, and I can’t wait for Thursday. I think it’s going to be very energizing, very affirming and very encouraging for all of us,” said Nikki Morse, who is with Jewish Voice for Peace. “I think we know that the tactics of the [Trump] administration are to isolate and divide people, and so by coming together, we resist that.”

The Baltimore Police Department is aware of planned events for the National Day of Protest and “remains fully committed to protecting the rights of individuals to peacefully assemble and exercise their First Amendment rights.”

“In preparation, the Emergency Operations Center will be activated, and the Department has developed a comprehensive contingency plan to ensure a swift and appropriate response across the city,” the BPD spokesperson said in an email. “Officers will be deployed to support peaceful demonstrations, assist with traffic flow, and maintain public safety. BPD is working in close coordination with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all.”

The dangers of protesting have become more real. But Evans-Goldstein stressed that safety has been a top priority for the organizing team.

A team of security marshals will be at every feeder march along with people who have had medical assistance training. Those wearing red vests are safety marshals, pink vests are police liaisons and yellow vests are equipped to answer any questions attendees might have. At the main rally at 5:30 p.m., there will be a medic, snacks and water tent.

Evans-Goldstein said she and other organizers who’ve been planning Baltimore’s May Day events for over a month expect hundreds of people to hit the streets Thursday.

“Baltimore has not seen anything like this in its recent memory,” she said. “This is going to be a really remarkable occasion, and it’s going to have representation from every single corner in our city.”

Banner reporter Cody Boteler and the Associated Press contributed to this story.