The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. It will be updated as soon as possible.

Maximillian Alvarez: This is Maximillian Alvarez for the Real News Network. I’m here in downtown Baltimore and behind me. Around a hundred or more local residents are marching through the streets of downtown on Mayday in solidarity with others around the country who are participating in the Mayday Strong Day of Protests inspired by the anti-ice mass strike that shut down Minneapolis earlier this year. Organizers are calling for a day of no work, no school, no shopping. Here in Baltimore, the demonstration may be on the smaller side, but the spirit is still very lively. I’m about to take you into the heart of the march so you can see it for yourself.

So here in Baltimore, you’re seeing a lot of the signs you’re probably seeing at other mayday protests. Signs calling for a general strike, signs very much in opposition to the Trump regime. Signs demanding ice out of our communities, but you’re also seeing a lot of important local Baltimore stories represented in the signs here. You’re seeing justice for Balabdula signs. Really important local story here that involved another police killing of a black man. You see these signs here. Calling out BG&E, which has an energy monopoly on this city and is strangling working class and poor residents with incredibly high utility prices. And they’re the only game in town. So you’re seeing the rage against them very much represented in some of the signs here. We’re crossing President and Pratt Street right now, downtown. We’re in front of the Maryland Museum of African American History and Culture.

Heck yeah. You got some folks honking on the other side of the street. All very peaceful right now. Don’t be interested in just saying a few words about my remarks and why it’s important. Okay, so I am rolling here and yeah, just wanted to ask some folks why you’re marching today, why it’s important to be out here.

Protester: Because this administration is devils from hell and we’ve got to get them out. They do not care about anybody but rich white people. Everybody else is a victim. And the only thing that is true that comes out of Trump’s valve is threatened against other people. The Supreme Court is corrupt. It’s just like we have lost our democracy and we’re going to get it back.

Protester: I’m here because of corruption, cruelty, horrible, horrible administration, grifting president, felon, pedophile. Everybody, they’re horrible. We need them out. We need to show our feelings out here on the street.

Maximillian Alvarez: Thank you guys so much. Appreciate it. The real news network. So you can find that on YouTube, on Instagram. We’re all over. I didn’t choose the name. Bass and Lombard now. Still heading down President Street. I’m going to go around the front of the march real quick, see if we can talk to a couple more folks. Guys, we do have to just say a few words about why we’re marching, why it’s important. Yeah? Okay. So we’re going to go here with some folks up here holding the global Mayday Strike Manner. Let’s go. So why are you guys marching today? Why is it important to be out here?

Protester: Masters today because we’re fighting for human rights. The current state of America is shambles, and I’m a college student. And our financial aid, our healthcare and everything that goes into our education is in jeopardy. And as a college student, I feel it’s important to see young faces out here fighting for the common human rights and cause for the next generation to come, not just for ourself, not just for tomorrow, for the next future and generations to come after us. Thank you so

Maximillian Alvarez: Much. Anything you guys want to share?

Protester: I want to ask you too. Hi, so we’re fighting for our rights. We’re outside right now, fighting against ICE, fighting against discrimination, segregation. Even though they try to say that it’s over, it’s never over. They’re always going to be racist, but we’re here to fight. Right now, fun to fact, not a fun fact. They’re taking away our Voters Rights Act from 1965. So we today need to get out and vote and register to vote. Everybody needs to be registered to vote. Use your ID, use your school ID, whatever you got to do, go out and vote.

Protester: Let’s get registered to vote, y’all. The midterm elections is coming up and we couldn’t make a change today. My fault. We can make a change today. Register to vote, get ready to vote. Midterm relations in November. Make that change locally and statewide. Thank you guys so much.

Protester: Stop the US or machine. To the Philippines. Stop the US War Machine. Stop the US War Machine. From voting more to the Philippines. From all the board to the Philippines. Stop the US war machine. Stop the US war machine.

Maximillian Alvarez: Any chance to be down to say a few words about why you’re out here, why it’s important, especially as a union? Yeah. Awesome.

Protester: I’m out here. I’m from California, but I have family out here and I can’t celebrate over on the other side of the coast. I’m here. And it’s important to show up for mayday, for unions, for people everywhere. We all need to eugonize in one way or another.

Maximillian Alvarez: Do you have any messages out there for your union siblings about why this day is so important and yeah, like why they should get in the fight if they’re not already?

Protester: I mean, the only way that we win is by fighting, by coming together, by forming communities. So if you can, if you’re able-bodied, show up. Show up in the ways you can show up for community. Show up out here. Walk the streets. Disrupt shit. Dude, make change.

Maximillian Alvarez: Thank you so much.

Protester: Yeah, thank you.

Maximillian Alvarez: There you have it. This is Maximillian Alvarez reporting from downtown Baltimore for the Real News Network on Mayday 2026. We’ll see you out here in the streets.