May Day protest in Claremont grows to hundreds

In the busy intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Indian Hill Boulevard in Claremont, a couple of hundred people gathered in the afternoon of May 1, known as International Worker's Day or May Day. 

CALÓ News asked attendees to the protest why was it important for them to be there. 

"I live here, I'm a citizen," Andrew Knoll, who immigrated from Holland, said. "What's going concerns me and concerns everyone so I had no choice. I had to be there."

His wife Denise held a sign that read a quote from Cecile Richards: "One day, our children and grandchildren may ask us, 'When it was all on the line, what did you do?' The only acceptable answer is, 'Everything we could.'"

"I think we're at real risk of losing our democracy," Denise said. "If we do nothing, it's just going to slip away."

Ricky, who held a sign that read "Sufficiency before efficiency,' said "Good grief, I mean it's obvious we have to stand up. We really do." 

One of the women in the crowd was speaking Spanish and said she was there to save and protect the Constitution. 

Although the protest in Claremont was much smaller than those in L.A., participants said there is a real sense of urgency to take action. 

Claremont is part of L.A. County but it's closer to San Bernardino County, which has a history of being more conservative than Los Angeles. In 2024, 49% of voters in San Bernardino County voted for Donald J. Trump, compared to 47% of votes going to Kamala Harris. 

In 2020, 54% of the votes went to Joe Biden and 43% went to Trump.