International Workers' Day in Portland, Oregon

The holiday International Workers' Day (also known as May Day, but not to be confused with the holiday of the same name commemorating the start of summer) is celebrated annually in Portland, Oregon. The city has seen many demonstrations on the holiday, which are often referred to as "May Day protests". Some of the demonstrations have led to arrests, fires, and vandalism. Other activities have included a family-friendly picnic in 2018 and a caravan to support essential workers in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Events and activities

In addition to protests, Portland has seen other events and activities organized for the holiday. In 2018, May Day Coalition organizers hosted a family-friendly picnic at Lents Park in southeast Portland's Lents neighborhood.[1][2][3] Approximately 200 people attended the picnic.[4] In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of local social justice groups organized a car caravan in southeast Portland. There were approximately one dozen vehicles and participants stopped at businesses with essential workers, including stores operated by Fred Meyer, Grand Central Bakery, and Whole Foods.[5][6]

Protests

The city has a "long history of protests" on the holiday, according to The Oregonian.[7] In 2020, Rebecca Ellis of Oregon Public Broadcasting said, "In Portland, May Day often means big outdoor rallies and protests in honor of workers' rights."[5] In 2021, KOIN said, "May Day demonstrations and protests are a tradition in Portland."[8] Some of the demonstrations have resulted in arrests, fires, and vandalism.[9][10]

The American Revolutionary Communist Party organized a May Day parade to Lownsdale Square in the Plaza Blocks in 1980. The Oregonian said participants were "met by aggressive counter-demonstrators, who dogged the march, shouting 'Down with communism' and 'Red is for murder.' The confrontation devolved from opposing chants into name-calling and then a brawl."[11]

2000s–present

In 2018, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh of The Oregonian wrote:

Since 2000, a mishmash of anarchists, socialists and others opposed to capitalism's excesses have flooded downtown each May 1 to observe a day dedicated to workers' rights, a cause celebrated worldwide. The gatherings have also served as an annual rallying point for the city's diverse community of left-leaning activists. Speakers condemn police brutality. Canvassers promote plans to fight climate change. Others organize for immigrant rights.[12]

In 2016, Douglas Perry of The Oregonian wrote: "Charlie Hales, then a city commissioner, came around a downtown corner on May Day in 2000 and was stunned to find a wall of police 'for what, to my amateur eyes, was a noisy but not terribly disruptive' rally. Later that afternoon, the large, swarming labor-rights march degenerated into chaos, and police declared an emergency, with officers charging the crowd on horseback."[11]

The city saw two protests in 2010, including one at the South Park Blocks.[13] The Bulletin said thousands of people marched in downtown Portland in 2010 to protest Arizona's new illegal immigration law.[14] There were also demonstrations in downtown Portland in 2012 and 2013; in 2012, protesters gathered at the west end of the Burnside Bridge and there were 36 arrests.[13][15] Hundreds of people participated in May Day activities in 2015. KATU said the event "was initially a peaceful protest but turned violent after a splinter group left the main group".[16] The Guardian said, "a crowd of people flung rocks and chairs at police, who responded with pepper spray and tried to hem demonstrators in along the pre-arranged route of the demonstration. Officers threw flashbang grenades to try to disperse the crowd when it tried to march onto a major bridge."[17] One officer was injured and there were no arrests.[16] In 2017, 25 people were arrested in a protest deemed a riot by the Portland Police Bureau.[1][18] In 2019, approximately 100 and 200 people gathered at Caruthers Park and Holladay Park, respectively; both demonstrations saw counter-protesters.[19]

Several people were arrested at a protest in 2021.[20] Some businesses in downtown Portland had boarded up windows ahead of the holiday, based on tensions since the George Floyd protests.[8] In 2022, protesters gathered outside the U.S. Bancorp Tower demanding Amazon and Starbucks improve labor rights and wages; the demonstration included employees of both companies who were seeking to unionize.[21][22] Some windows were smashed during a May Day protest in downtown Portland in 2024.[23] Multiple demonstrations were organized in 2025, including by a local chapter of the 50501 movement at the South Park Blocks, by Indivisible Cedar Mill at Pioneer Courthouse Square, and by the Portland Association of Teachers (the union for teachers at Portland Public Schools) at Terry Schrunk Plaza.[24] Thousands attended the rally at the South Park Blocks, which included Sameer Kanal as a guest speaker,[25] and hundreds attended the protest at Pioneer Courthouse Square.[26] The demonstrations were peaceful.[27]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Silva, Christianna (2018-05-02). "May Day Celebrations in Portland, Oregon, Went From a Riot in 2017 to a Picnic in 2018". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on 2025-09-19. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  2. ^ Ryan, Jim (2018-05-02). "Portland marks May Day with picnic instead of protests". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  3. ^ "May Day group holds Portland celebration, instead of march". KGW. 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  4. ^ "Portland May Day peaceful; organizers aimed to connect to workers, immigrants". KATU. 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  5. ^ a b "A Smaller, More Socially Distanced May Day In Portland". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  6. ^ Bernstein, Maxine (2020-04-29). "Portland's May Day 2020 observations switch to car caravan, virtual rally due to coronavirus pandemic". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-06-27. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  7. ^ Shaikh, Zaeem (2025-04-30). "Immigrant rights, worker justice at center of Oregon May Day rallies". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  8. ^ a b "From Portland to Salem, May Day demonstrators hit streets". KOIN.com. 2021-05-01. Archived from the original on 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  9. ^ Mechanic, Allison (2021-05-01). "May Day has morphed from celebration of worker's rights to violence, says historian". KATU. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  10. ^ "'May Day' demonstrations expected in Portland on International Workers' Day". KATU. 2025-05-01. Archived from the original on 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  11. ^ a b Perry, Douglas (2016-04-11). "'Little Beirut' legacy: 21 of the most memorable protests in Portland history". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2019-08-17. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  12. ^ Kavanaugh, Shane Dixon (2018-05-01). "After last year's melee, Portland's anti-capitalists this year throwing May Day picnic". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2025-05-01. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  13. ^ a b Killen, John (2014-12-02). "Portland protests through the years: A decade of free speech in the Rose City". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  14. ^ "Oregon May Day marchers protest new Arizona law". The Bulletin. 2010-05-02. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  15. ^ "36 people arrested during Portland's May Day demonstrations, including a 15-year-old". The Oregonian. 2012-05-02. Archived from the original on 2025-08-17. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  16. ^ a b "Police use pepper spray, flash bang grenades during Portland May Day protest". KATU. 2015-05-01. Archived from the original on 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  17. ^ Yuhas, Alan (2015-05-02). "May Day protesters clash with police as violence erupts in Seattle and Oakland". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  18. ^ 2017:
  19. ^ 2019:
  20. ^ 2021:
  21. ^ Lin, Frances (2022-05-01). "May Day rallies in Portland support Starbucks, Amazon workers on Intl. Workers' Day". KATU. Archived from the original on 2022-07-21. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  22. ^ "'We deserve better': Portlanders rally in favor of unions at Amazon, Starbucks". KGW. 2022-05-02. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  23. ^ "Portland State protest 'delusional,' Wheeler says, as local leaders advise public caution". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 2025-11-13. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  24. ^ 2025:
  25. ^ "Hundreds of Protesters Flood Downtown Portland for May Day". Willamette Week. 2025-05-02. Archived from the original on 2025-10-10. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  26. ^ Dominique, Leslie; Olson, Karli (2025-05-02). "May Day protests draw crowds to downtown Portland over federal job cuts, policies". KPTV. Archived from the original on 2025-07-22. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  27. ^ Sparling, Zane; Prudhomme, Quinton; Shaikh, Zaeem (2025-05-01). "Thousands gather peacefully for Portland May Day protests across downtown". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2025-07-26. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
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