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May Day protest called ‘practice for a potential sustained general strike’ under Trump
- Mark Sabbatini
- May 1
- 3 min read
About 80 people in Juneau join others in global demonstrations opposing costs of Iran war, policies deemed harmful to workers
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
Heidi Paulson arrived in Juneau for a seasonal tourism job three weeks ago, but made sure she was among people not working Friday as part of a nationwide May Day protest in what local organizers called a rehearsal for a general strike in opposition of Trump administration policies.
About 80 people gathered early Friday evening at Mayor Bill Overstreet Park for a 20-minute demonstration that was followed by many of them standing along Egan Drive near the Douglas Bridge waving signs at passing motorists. Paulson, a resident of Evansville, Indiana, said while she’s "in a privileged position of being a white female from a middle-class family," one of her best friends is a Norwegian who got her college degree and doctorate in the United States before self-deporting recently due to visa issues.
"She unfortunately had to leave because of policies from the administration," she said in an interview after the park gathering. "So she's no longer in this country with me and that makes me sad."
Similar concerns about Ukrainian and Guatemalan friends still living in the U.S. — but in fear and uncertainty — were expressed by Peggi Tahen, a Riverside, California, resident who said she’s been a seasonal tourism worker in Juneau for the past 22 years.
Others at the demonstration shared a variety of concerns about recent government actions affecting themselves, family members and friends including an inability to afford health insurance, and a lack of support for education and social programs while vast amounts of money are being spent on the Iran war.
"On this May Day my family shut down our small business," said Anjuli Gratham, a Juneau For Democracy activist, in a speech as the emcee of the local protest. "We didn't shop. Instead, we improved our garden. I spent the day weeding and pruning raspberry bushes."
"We took part in the economic blackout, understanding that today is practice. We’re flexing our muscles to not only grow people power, but to practice for a potential sustained general strike come November if the regime interferes with the midterm elections."
May 1 is a public holiday in many countries, where it is known as International Workers’ Day or Labor Day, and widespread international protests focused largely on costs tied to the Iran war launched by the U.S. and Israel. The day is not a holiday in the U.S., but a coalition of activist groups organized a "May Day Strong" protest that called upon people to boycott work, shopping, social media and school.
Tahen said she wasn’t able to skip her tourism job, but did stay off social media during the day. Some other people at the protest said they were also judicious with the boycott.
"I would have felt funny telling my grandkids not to go to school," said John Dunker, a Juneau resident since 1981.
The turnout for Friday’s protest was far smaller than some other demonstrations that have occurred in Juneau, the largest of which have topped 1,000 people, since President Donald Trump began his second term in January of 2025. Many of the signs and themes Friday were similar to those events, and the concerns expressed by participants were more expansive than just the worker issues associated with the May Day holiday.
"I think it’s the things that affect our grandchildren that I would say affect us," said Amy Paige, holding a sign next to Dunker on Egan Drive. "The threats for their future, the failure to act on climate change, the failure of the state to properly fund education. And health care — we have Medicare, but our daughters and their families don’t."
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
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