Workers Over Billionaires

Around 250 protesters gathered at Peach Avenue and Cesar Chavez Boulevard in southeast Fresno on Labor Day, Sept. 1. The theme of the protest was “Workers over Billionaires,” and there were many signs against the Trump regime, against ICE raids and, in general, against fascism.

Activist Stan Santos commended the organizers for their choice of location in a working-class neighborhood.

“I really thank the organizers for picking that location,” Santos said, “because we’ve been doing all these actions over there by Blackstone and Nees [on the affluent North side of Fresno]. And the reactions I’m used to getting at Blackstone and Nees are between indifferent and against, [with only] a scattering of people that honk their horns and give you a thumbs up.

“But what I noticed at this corner, at this intersection, was much more of a friendlier reception from the public that was passing by. A lot of honks, a lot of high fives and thumbs up and peace signs and stuff like that.

“And the community that was on the streets today was diverse. It was Asian, Latino, it was white folks, it was Blacks. [They] had a very positive reaction to the signs and posters.”

More protests are in the works, including a second No Kings Day, which is yet to be scheduled. The first No Kings Day in Fresno, on June 14, brought out thousands of demonstrators in the largest Fresno protest of the 21st century.