Pasadena Activists Plan Rally at City Hall on Labor Day, Joining Nationwide Protests Against Wealth Inequality and ICE Raids

Local activists will gather at Pasadena City Hall on Labor Day as part of a nationwide protest campaign denouncing what organizers describe as the “billionaire takeover” of American politics and spotlighting recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) workplace raids in the region.

The demonstration, titled “Workers Over Billionaires,” is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 1, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the west steps of City Hall, followed by a march along Colorado Boulevard. It is one of more than 765 coordinated actions across the country, according to organizers, and is locally led by San Gabriel Valley Foothill Indivisible and Rooted in Resistance. The broader campaign is coordinated by the May Day Strong coalition with support from the AFL-CIO.

Speakers confirmed for the Pasadena event include U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, Assemblymember John Harabedian, Pasadena Unified School District Board Member Patrice Marshall-McKenzie, and Koreen Cea of the Los Angeles Teachers Union, according to organizers.

Organizers say the rally will address economic inequality and call attention to immigration enforcement actions that have affected local workers. Caroline Mays, a volunteer with San Gabriel Valley Foothill Indivisible, cited recent ICE raids at a Pasadena donut shop and car wash as examples of growing fear among immigrant laborers.

“ICE is making people afraid to go to work,” Mays said. “We have fewer street vendors, and some people are avoiding their jobs because they’re afraid ICE is going to come after them.”

The rally’s platform includes demands to end what organizers call “rampant corruption,” protect social programs, increase funding for public schools and healthcare, and redirect federal resources “from wars to people.” Safety measures for the event include 19 monitors equipped with walkie-talkies, with organizers anticipating attendance to exceed the 300 individuals already registered.

In addition to protest, organizers emphasize civic engagement and legislative advocacy. The coalition supports SB 98, the Safe Act, which would require schools to be notified when ICE is operating nearby, and SB 805, the No Vigilantes Act, mandating law enforcement officers to identify themselves during arrests. Activists also recently pressured Cal Poly Pomona to postpone a career fair that included ICE recruitment.

“This is about building community and sharing information,” Mays said. “We want people to not only protest but also work for what they believe in.”

Organizers reiterated their commitment to nonviolence and solidarity. “Working people built this nation, and we know how to take care of each other,” they said in a statement. “We will never stop fighting for our families, our rights, and the freedoms that ensure everyone has a better life.”