Crowds march through North Fresno for May Day

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Loud voices, bright posters, flags waiving. Hundreds gathered for the annual May Day March in North Fresno. The annual demonstration stretches back over a century to a turbulent and pivotal time in U.S. labor history.

On Thursday, demonstrators demanded livable wages, a safe work environment, and protection of immigrant workers right here in the Central Valley. Protesters also condemned the Trump administration on an array of issues from tariffs to federal job cuts.

The demonstration started on busy Blackstone Avenue near Alluvial. Among the crowd, Christine Fowler, with her fist in the air.

"I believe that everyone is important, and everyone has contributed to the United States. That is why the United States is so great is the blending of all these wonderful cultures," says Fowler.

People of all ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds marched to the Mexican Consulate with members of the United Farm Workers Union, local SEIU chapters, faith leaders, and elected officials by their side.

"We are, all of us immigrants. Migrants we are here in this world probably 50 to 60 I don't know how many years, if we unite the forces to make a better world it would be better for us," says Felipe Perez, Firebaugh Councilmember.

The annual march is a tradition that's been around for decades, but it looked different this year. As protesters made a statement, by stopping at the Tesla dealership to symbolize their frustration with Elon Musk and the Trump Administration.

This, where we met Gloria Hernandez, a farmworker who started working in the fields at just six years old.

"Standing up, gives you empowerment. Cesar Chavez said it best once you lose the fear nothing is going to hold you back and I think this is a showing of no fear," says Hernandez.

Protesters walked on the streets into the evening, and as the sun set. One of the last people standing was Baldomero Galindo, a veteran.

"Enough is enough. We have to come back together as a community. I'm a veteran and I'm hurting because I see all of the dysfunction that's going on, and we need to come back down together all of us," says Galindo.

The protest did face a few counter protestors that drove by but was overall peaceful.

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