Anti-Trump protests return to Portland on May Day
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Portland will mark May Day on Thursday with more than a dozen events planned in protest of the Trump administration.
Why it matters: Previous May Day protests in the city have ranged from raucous riots to peaceful picnics, often in the name of workers' rights, but this year's events are specifically targeted at President Trump and his policies.
Driving the news: Protests are planned throughout the day — from gatherings in Vancouver and Canby to a rally hosted by the Portland Association of Teachers in downtown Portland.
- There are also a number of events planned for the weekend, so those working on International Workers' Day can still mark the occasion.
Zoom out: More than 1,100 protest events are scheduled in nearly 1,000 cities across all 50 states, organizers said.
- More than 70,000 protesters are expected nationwide.
Context: Portland has already seen two large-scale anti-Trump demonstrations in the past few months, a continuation of Portland's long history of protest.
- The city was home to significant protests during the Vietnam War, a massive "Occupy" encampment in 2011 and, more recently, more than 100 nights of racial justice protests following the police murder of George Floyd.
- In Trump's second term, protesters have also targeted the local Tesla dealership with weekly demonstrations, rallying against CEO Elon Musk's involvement in the federal government as an unelected official leading DOGE.