Despite the apparent lack of much advance publicity and competing Labor Day events, an estimated 1,000 Workers Over Billionaires protestors gathered peacefully on both sides of the street outside the Humboldt County Courthouse in Eureka on Monday. The local protest in opposition to the Trump administration’s actions, including those affecting workers, was one of hundreds of 50501 protests that occurred nationwide. (50501 is a grassroots movement, and all local events are organized by independent volunteers.)
Many protesters carried signs linking the labor movement with their protests about actions of the current Trump administration and Project 2025. Elizabeth Kemper’s handmade sign with the message “Yes We Can Put Workers Over Billionaires” expanded on the iconic World War II era “We Can Do It” poster that still serves as a symbol for women’s rights in the workforce.
M. Clark brought her sign bearing a painting by Tim Okamura of a Black woman in the role of the “We Can Do It” poster.
Another protester named Nina offered a history lesson about how Labor Day emerged in the U.S. and how unions have helped bring about eight-hour days and eliminate child labor while holding her “Labor Day Across Humboldt” sign emblazoned with “Workers Over Billionaires” and “No Dictators in America” messages.
Pat Kansler, of Eureka, arrived early at the corner of Fifth and I streets with a handmade banner that read, “We Are All Under the Boot.” “People don’t realize the military industrial complex is running this country,” she said. Helping Kansler hold her sign was retired teacher Allan Edwards, of McKinleyville, who asked, “Where are the young people?”
Later, a group of four under-30 protesters named Morgan, Liam, Zaya and Matthew were standing on the courthouse steps holding protest signs. Asked Edwards’ question, they responded that they’d heard about the protests late and that perhaps the information wasn’t in the form of media they consume. They said collectively they had previously only attended the local National Park Service protest, where they had known some of the NPS employees.
“Perhaps many young people around here are from out of town and don’t identify with local community events like this,” Matthew said.
Local poet Jerry Martien also showed up early at Monday’s protest and said, “I’ve been writing 40 years of protest poetry to encourage more rabble-rousing participation.” He’ll be reading some of his protest poems at the Arcata Playhouse on Sept. 11.
The first 50501 protest on Feb. 5 started with the idea of 50 protests in 50 states on one day but quickly grew into 80 peaceful protests in all 50 states. Since then, national protests have followed on Feb. 17, March 4, April 5, April 19, May 1, June 14, July 4, July 17 and Aug. 2. The next planned 50501 protest and march, Stop the Trump Takeover, will be centered in Malcolm X Park in Washington, D.C. at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6. See fiftyfifty.one/events for more information.
See the full slideshow of photos at northcoastjournal.com.
Mark Larson (he/him) is a retired Cal Poly Humboldt journalism professor and active freelance photographer who likes to walk.
This article appears in The Grand Jury Reports.