NORFOLK, Va. — On Labor Day, hundreds of neighbors gathered at Town Point Park in Norfolk to join a nationwide movement called Workers Over Billionaires.
The movement, led by unions and advocacy groups, is about pushing back against what organizers see as the outsized influence of wealthy individuals and corporations on government and society.
Demonstrators say they are frustrated with policies they believe benefit billionaires at the expense of working people.
“We’re out here for the people of the United States. For freedom," said an attendee of the rally.
In Norfolk, attendees expressed themselves through art, signs and speeches. Among them was Carrie Shorts, co-founder of the COVA Coalition.
“This event is part of a consistent demonstration of opposition to the Trump regime,” Shorts said. “It’s important for people to continue to come out, and to show opposition of the policies that are dragging us back.”
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The event also featured guest speakers, including Norfolk State University Professor Casandra Newby-Alexander, who emphasized Norfolk’s historical role in social and political movements.
“Norfolk has continued to be a flashpoint in American history,” Newby-Alexander said. “I think it’s important that it continues that long legacy.”
For participants like Vicky Quiggle, attending the rally was about taking tangible action.
“I knew I needed to do something, and I think a lot of us are sitting back watching television thinking, gosh, what can I do to make a difference — this is it,” Quiggle said.
The White House responded to the rallies, defending the administration’s record on behalf of working Americans.
“No one has done more for working men and women than President Trump,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement. “President Trump believes that American workers are the heart and soul of our economy, which is why he’s championed an agenda that always puts them first — from signing the largest middle-class tax cuts in history to securing nearly $10 trillion in new investments to create high-paying jobs across our country. Under President Trump’s leadership, Republicans are once again the proud party of the American worker.”
Still, those at the Norfolk rally said protests alone are not enough. They believe the biggest way citizens can make change is through the ballot box this November, when voters will decide whether workers or billionaires should be the priority moving forward.
