Workers and Antiimperialists Across the USA Celebrate International Worker’s Day 2026
Seattle, Washington State
On May 1st, 2026, revolutionary organizations from across the Puget Sound held an anti-imperialist and red march for International Workers Day. The march took place in a Black majority, working-class neighborhood in Seattle, with around 100 people in attendance. The march was endorsed and attended by The Puget Sound Struggle Committees and Puget Sound Revolutionary Youth, anti-imperialist, pro Palestinian-resistance organizations Nidal Seattle and Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return (SUPER). The march was also endorsed by the Local 1789 of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which represents teachers, librarians, counselors, and faculty at Seattle Community Colleges1.
The march put forward these slogans: ‘Workers of the World, Unite! Victory to the People’s War in India! Victory to Iran! Death to US Imperialism!’These slogans were raised in English and Spanish, and in Somali and Oromo (a language spoken in East Africa), as many East African migrants live in the neighborhood the march was held in. The flag of the Anti-Imperialist League was also raised at the demonstration. The demonstration placed special emphasis on supporting the heroic People’s War in India, whose revolutionaries are currently waging fierce struggle against the genocidal counter-revolutionary “Operation Kagar.”. The march also cheered on the glorious national liberation struggles in Iran and Palestine, which revolutionaries in the US must wholeheartedly support.
Speeches during the march correctly called for revolutionaries in the US to take up the shining examples of the People’s Wars across the world, which serve as a brilliant showcase of the path that all workers and oppressed people must take up to achieve liberation. Several speeches also discussed the role of national liberation struggles as the base of the world proletarian revolution and the duty of revolutionaries in the US to support these wars that weaken imperialism. Speeches also discussed opportunism, which was thoroughly denounced and rightfully proclaimed the main danger of the revolutionary movement. Particular emphasis was placed on Katie Wilson, Seattle’s new opportunist fake socialist mayor. Through her participation in electoral politics, she has again and again supported the continued militarization of working-class neighborhoods via increased police presence and installation of new ‘security’ cameras, despite claims during her election season that she would oppose these measures. She has shown her true face to the people: complete bankrupt hypocrisy. This is a key feature of all electoral candidates, and her lies and betrayal make her no different.
Marchers held high signs with the faces of the six great teachers of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism: Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, Chairman Mao, and Chairman Gonzalo. The march received immense support from members of the masses who cheered on and joined in the march. Local high school students joined the march as school was dismissed, and workers joined in from the nearby transit center as they got off work. Middle school students followed the march on foot and on bikes and saluted it with their left fists raised. Elementary aged children cheered on from their daycare programs, to the admiration of the families and others participating in the march.
Portland, Oregon
On May 1st 2026, comrades from 3 organizations: Portland Antiimperialist Action, Renters Action Network and Revolutionary Student Front – Beaverton Highschool formed a red-block in the larger gathering and march at the South Park Blocks in downtown Portland to bring Maoism to the masses. Holding signs of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Chairman Gonzalo, the red-block attracted attention from many, generating good conversations and attracting some masses who were ready to bring their struggle to a more class-conscious and militant level. As the march began the activists waved Red flags and lead march participants in chants such as “P.L.G.A, people’s war will lead the way”, “US out of Iran, Power to the people!”, “Fry the Pigs, Burn the Ballot, which side are you on?”, “Marx, Lenin, Mao Zedong, the fight, the fight, the fight, goes on!”, “One side’s right one side’s wrong, We’re on the side of Al-Qassam!” and more, bringing a more anti-imperialist and revolutionary tone to the march. IWD proved a success for the Portland movement, bringing new masses looking for answers into revolutionary organizations and laying the basis for a red and revolutionary summer of struggle.
Eugene, Oregon
On International Workers Day a demonstration in Eugene was organized by local education workers, Eugene Revolutionary Women’s Committee (RWC) and Eugene’s Housing And Neighborhood Defense (HAND). This demonstration was a coordinated response to the recent attack on the local education workers by the administration firing hundreds of employees (7-10% of the workforce) on May 1st. As a visual representation, red ribbons were tied to parts of the district building to represent each affected worker.
The demonstration passed from a local park to the school district office responsible for the mass layoffs and ending in another park for a social gathering to deepen ties between education workers and coordinate further against the attacks by the administration.
The event began with a welcoming of those in attendance, and the announcement of a campaign to organize educators across district lines over the summer, with the goals of strengthening unity for the purposes of continuing to fight to protect education. A speech was then given on the history and significance of May Day being one of international importance where workers further advanced class struggle, in solidarity with one another as American workers faced severe state repression. Further speeches included testimonies from workers and local activists about the conditions and the struggles they are engaged in.
The final speech from an educator addressed deteriorating conditions in the schools for the workers and the students. She provided international examples of educators daring to struggle and fight for the bright future of the youth, highlighting that they don’t have to ask for permission to win the world for the workers and the bright youth who are like the rising sun.
The closing of the event was marked with with attendees learning and singing the International in commemoration of International Workers Day. This song was sung with great spirit and enthusiasm, knowing that we sang the anthem of the international proletariat, singing alongside the working class across the country and theworld.
Attendees and activists involved boldly faced repression, arrest by police, and antagonism from a local reactionary. The bravery and commitment by the massesin the face of this opposition deepened solidarity between those who fought alongside each other. May 1st 2026 in Eugene faced interruptions but carried the spirit of May Day, a day of international solidarity, a day of class struggle, and building unity through that struggle.
Oakland, California
Activists in the League of Class Conscious Workers, Revolutionary Women’s Committee, and Revolutionary Youth Organization marched under the banner of anti-imperialism this Mayday. Participating in a large march whilst raising the flag of the Anti-Imperialist League. Banners were hoisted reading quotes from Chairman Mao and Comrade Lenin. “Working Women Hold up Half the Sky” and “Trade Union Workers! Do not rely upon the state, rely only upon the power of your class!”
Long Beach, California
The Anti-Imperialist Front Long Beach held an International Workers’ Day celebration on May 1, where workers and their families gathered with food, cultural performances, and children’s activities to honor the worker and the glory of the holiday. Speeches were given on the significance of International Workers’ Day and its birth in the combative struggle for the 8 hour work day. It was highlighted that the 8 hour workday has become a thing of the past, and that it is necessary to reconquer and defend what has been won in the workers’ struggle. The speakers discussed the rising tendency in the world of anti-imperialist and national liberation struggles, and that workers in the belly of the beast have the duty to join the oppressed nations in the international anti-imperialist front. The speakers called to reinvigorate a combative workers movement, and moreover to construct a united, worker-led anti-imperialist movement in the US. The flag of the Anti-Imperialist League was raised, and its significance was discussed in a speech.
Performances were given by a 9 year old musician and a Puerto Rican musician, who sang songs about Puerto Rican liberation, anti-ICE rebellion in LA, and Palestinian liberation. In addition, poems were shared about the conditions of workers in the US and the need to join the international struggle against the main enemy in the world: imperialism, mainly US imperialism.
The event was closed out with recognition of blood that has been shed in the combative worker struggle, and that it is our duty to carry on the tradition of bravery and militancy. Salutes were given to the martyred comrades and Adivasi masses in India, the Iranian National Resistance who are bravely fighting back against the US-Zionest aggression, the Palestinian National Resistance who sparked the flames of resistance in the world, and the struggle for land and against Yankee Imperialism and intervention in Latin America. In addition, salutes were given to the 500 plus people in Turkey who were arrested in their 2026 May Day demonstration in the name of their leader İbrahim Kaypakkaya. The event evoked a great sense of optimism in the construction of the worker-led anti- imperialist front.
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1Community colleges are less expensive colleges that serve mainly working class students.