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Tallahassee students and workers hold International Workers Day rally

By Katherine Draken

Tallahassee May Day rally.

Tallahassee, FL – On May 1, around 30 workers, students and community members gathered in front of the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce to celebrate International Workers Day and to stand in solidarity with immigrants and refugees.

The rally began with an introduction by Regina Joseph, one of the leading organizers of the rally and a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), “We're here today on International Workers Day to stand with oppressed people around the world against the rule of the 1%, and to look forward to overthrowing this wretched system and building a better tomorrow.”

Afterwards Daniela D., a DACA-receiving FSU alumni, and member of Advocates for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (AIRR), shared her story of being an undocumented immigrant in the U.S. She followed by urging everyone present to get organized, fight for immigrant rights and stand against the xenophobia of the Trump administration.

“We might not run this country,” said Daniela, “but this country doesn't run without us.”

After several more speeches and chants, the crowd marched to the historic Florida capitol while chanting “Trump says go back, we say fight back!” and “No ban, no wall, legalization for all!” At the front of the march was a banner that said “Workers unite: Stop Trump's anti-immigrant attacks.”

At the capitol, members of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Students for Justice in Palestine gave speeches expressing solidarity with the working class as well as the immigrants and refugees currently under attack by the Trump administration.

The organizers stated their intent to continue organizing for worker and immigrant rights.

B. Beck, member of SDS, said, “We are going to continue to organize against Trump's racist agenda, to fight for the right of undocumented students at Florida State University, and defend workers' rights.”

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