Demonstrators in Vancouver, Washington got an early start Friday, waving flags and protest signs on the Interstate 5 pedestrian bridge, high above morning commuters.

They were taking part in a day of action to mark International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day. The international event honors the fight for workers’ rights. Thousands of people are expected to demonstrate in Oregon and across the country today in honor of May Day.

In recent years people have also used the occasion for broader political protests, especially in the Pacific Northwest.

“We plan on being out here from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” Linda Erickson of Vancouver told OPB. “And we have signs up that say ‘workers over billionaires,’ and ‘families over billionaires’ and ‘schools over billionaires.’ We have a lot of flags out and big foam hands for people to wave and flags to wave.”

A half dozen Clark County residents gathered on a pedestrian bridge.

Related: Nationwide May Day protests expected to pick up mantle of ‘No Kings’

Protests, rallies and other events are also planned elsewhere in Vancouver Friday, as well as in Portland, Salem, Eugene and elsewhere around the country and the world.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/01/may-day-protest-pacific-northwest-international-workers-day/