‘Courage is contagious’: About 600 gather for Fargo May Day event

Participants rally for worker rights, denounce Trump agenda

By: Erin Hemme Froslie - May 2, 2025 12:53 pm

A day for bringing attention to organized labor and worker rights extended into an opportunity to denounce President Donald Trump’s agenda and expansion of executive power.

Around 600 demonstrators attended a May Day event in Fargo-Moorhead Thursday. Holding signs that addressed topics from demands for due process for deported immigrants to concerns about cuts to Social Security, they stood in the rain on the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

“This is one way we show our support of workers and the rule of law,” said Rick Loftus, organizer of the Indivisible Fargo chapter, also known as Fearless. 

May Day is historically a time to acknowledge labor and worker rights, and this year’s event took on deeper meaning, Loftus said. 

He noted that union membership has dropped to about 10% of all workers since the 1970s and this has led to reduced income and benefits for all employees. In addition, recent cuts to the federal workforce have brought additional attention to the importance of worker rights.

“We have a slogan: courage is contagious,” he said. “We gather because we want people to see we’re not afraid.”

Denise Lund-Smith traveled from Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, to participate in Thursday’s demonstration with her sister.

Lund-Smith has two granddaughters and says she wants to protect freedom for them. She held a sign with a bullet list of concerns ranging from the gutting of civil service employees to the slashing of federal programs.  

“I’m 71 and this is the first time I’ve protested,” she said. “This isn’t about politics. (Trump and his administration) are destroying our democracy.”

Denise and Mark Magness of Fargo attended Thursday’s protest because they are frustrated by state Congressional leaders who won’t take a stand against what they describe as an expansion of executive power.

“(Our congressional leaders) are so chicken. They do nothing,” said Mark Magness, who said he calls his senators and representative regularly.

After about an hour, some of the demonstrators moved to the nearby Woodlawn Park where speakers addressed a crowd of about 150 people.

The program began with the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

“And let’s put the emphasis on ‘liberty and justice for all’,” Loftus said.

Retired municipal judge Thomas Davies told the crowd they have power to demand changes.

“The U.S. was a beacon of hope and decency until Trump was elected,” he said. “We all have the ability to support candidates who make a positive difference in our national, state and local offices.”

Ashley Ladbury Hrichena spoke on behalf of the League of Women Voters of the Red River Valley. The national nonpartisan organization to which the local chapter belongs recently declared a constitutional crisis. State and local leagues are advocating for Congress to take action to protect the Constitution and advocating to maintain state and local voting rights, she said.

“From the flagrant disregard for constitutional authority and governmental checks and balances, to defying Supreme Court orders, to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back home, one thing is abundantly clear. Our country is in a constitutional crisis,” she said. 

She then encouraged the crowd to continue to pressure their congressional representatives.

“Congress has been elected by you to serve us, not the president,” she said as the crowd broke into applause.

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