Marchers Complete First Leg of March from S. F. to Sacramento to Demand Just Budget

Marchers Complete First Leg of March from San Francisco to Sacramento to Demand a Just Budget

By Jonathan Nack May 1, 2011

OAKLAND, CA – A hearty band of activists marched the first leg of , “Strike May 2011,” a march from San Francisco to Sacramento to demand a just budget for California. By that they mean, “No more taxes for wars and occupations; and No More Tax Breaks for the rich and their corporations!” [ http://strikemay2011ca.org/ ]

They hope to gain the support of many more people along the way on their eight day march to Sacramento. The next leg for Strike May 2011 was be easier, as they will took a ferry to Vallejo, where they will camp together for their first night.

They began in the May Day march at 24th Street and Mission Street, in the heart of San Francisco's . They marched with several thousand for immigrant rights and labor rights, down Mission Street, then down Market Street to rally at Civic Center. [ http://www.answercoalition.org/sf/events/may-1st-immigrant-rights-are.html ]

May Day is International Workers Day. While it is not celebrated as an official holiday in the United States, it is in much of the world, an its origins are actually in the United States – the Hayarket Affair, which took place in Chicago on May 4, 1886. May Day started as a commemoration of the martyrs of May Day. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haymarket_affair ]

Following the May Day rally at the Civic Center, which took several hours, the Strike May 2011 marchers gathered again for their own march down Market Street to the Ferry Building, located at the foot of Market Street, San Francisco.

The march to Sacramento for a just budget plans to stop at many cities and towns along the way. These include: Vallejo tonight, Napa (May 2 & 3), Fairfield (May 4 & 5), Davis (May 6 & 7), and march into Sacramento on Mother's Day (May 8). [ http://strikemay2011.com/schedule/ ]