Demonstrators participate in a rally to mark the International Workers' Day in New York, the United States, on May 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)

"All politicians are paid for by the billionaire elite class, and they are not working in the interest of the common working people. That's what May Day is all about -- ordinary working people," Cecilia Dietrich voiced her opposition to the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.

NEW YORK, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across the United States on Friday to join May Day rallies against the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and defend labor and immigrant rights.

Protests and marches took place in nearly 30 main U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, and San Francisco, according to May Day Strong, a coalition of activist groups and labor unions.

On Friday afternoon, thousands gathered at Washington Square Park in Manhattan, carrying signs such as "Stop war on Iran," "ICE out of our cities," and "Workers united, will never be defeated." Then they marched down Broadway to Foley Square, shouting slogans.

Demonstrators holding placards participate in a rally to mark the International Workers' Day in New York, the United States, on May 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)

"Right now, the United States is falling into a total disaster," Nancy Goldring, a Montclair University professor and protester, told Xinhua. "We're spending billions on a war on Iran that is useless and insane. And we're aiding Israel to destroy Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon."

Cecilia Dietrich, a middle-aged New Yorker, voiced her opposition to the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, including the immigration crackdown. "I object to what the immigration department is doing," she said. "They're grounding up people who have come to this country just to work and make a living."

"All politicians are paid for by the billionaire elite class, and they are not working in the interest of the common working people. That's what May Day is all about -- ordinary working people," Dietrich added.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the crowd Friday afternoon to show his support for labor and immigrant rights, vowing to raise taxes on the rich and protect people "from the cruelty of ICE," referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Meanwhile, in downtown Los Angeles, thousands of immigrants, union members and community activists rallied Friday at MacArthur Park, calling for immigration reform, expanded labor protections and an "economic blackout" aimed at showing the collective power of workers over billionaires.

"We are here to say loudly and clearly that we are not afraid," said David Huerta, president of Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West. "We will not be silenced."

Aerial news footage showed tens of thousands of people filling the park as marchers held signs supporting workers and immigrants.

Demonstrators participate in a rally to mark the International Workers' Day in New York, the United States, on May 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)

"Immigrants are the heart and soul of America," Traci Nordman, a rally attendee from West Hills, told Xinhua.

Organizers said the march starting at MacArthur Park carried symbolic weight because the area has long been a gathering place for immigrant workers and day laborers. The march also came as organizers mark the anniversary of the massive 2006 "Day Without an Immigrant" demonstrations that drew hundreds of thousands of people to the streets of Los Angeles.

Also in Washington, D.C., demonstrators gathered at the National Mall, holding anti-war banners and signs in protest of the federal government's policies. In downtown Chicago, thousands of people participated in the rally, carrying signs calling for immigrant and workers' rights, and demanding an end to the war on Iran.

International Workers' Day has its origins in the U.S. labor movement's 19th-century campaign for an eight-hour workday and the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, a history often cited by unions and immigrant-rights groups during May Day demonstrations.