Dozens of protesters were arrested following a rally in Philadelphia that featured Bernie Sanders as well as a march through Center City on Thursday.
Sen. Sanders, I-Vt., spoke outside Philadelphia's City Hall shortly after 4 p.m. for the "May Day Rally: Workers Over Billionaires." The event was organized by Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO and featured a mixture of union members and protesters who were speaking out against billionaires, the Trump administration and cuts to federal workers.
Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10.
WATCH HEREOther rallies and protests took place across the country on Thursday for May Day, also known as International Workers Day, a holiday that is recognized as a day to honor labor.
Sanders has also held similar rallies across the country, some of which have featured U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY.
Get top local Philly stories delivered to you every morning with NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP “And here is the bottom line and I say that to my Democratic colleagues in the congress. Stop defending the status quo economically,” Sanders said during his speech late Thursday afternoon, drawing cheers from the crowd. “An economy in which the rich get richer and working people struggle should not be defended.”
Those who attended Thursday's event in Philadelphia included Shafeek Anderson, a hotel worker and member of Unite Here Local 274. He told NBC10 the rally showed that people were willing to stand up for what they believe in.
Traffic
“We’re tired of everything that’s going on in everyday life. We’re tired of our prices going up. We’re tired of the unfair treatment," he said. "We’re tired of the inequality in life and everything else. So rallies like this will absolutely help show that we mean business and we absolutely will stand on business when we need to.”
Anderson told NBC10 they weren't just sending their message to the president but to anyone else who needed to hear it.
"And we’re sending a message to the billionaires, the oligarchs, everything else, the president, everybody who needs to know," he said. "We’re going to fight you. We’re going to fight against this inequality. We’re going to fight against injustice. We’re going to stand up for ourselves. And if you’re against us, we’re going to fight against you.”
Following Sanders' speech, the attendees marched through Center City. Some of the protesters gathered on Broad and Vine streets for the final stop of their march and were told to leave so that police could open up traffic in the area. NBC10 was there as police took some of the protesters in the area into custody.
"Do you have anything to say?" NBC10's Aaron Baskerville asked one of the demonstrators as she was led away in zip ties by police.
"Solidarity," the woman replied.
Philadelphia police later revealed Thursday night that a total of 70 people -- 36 men and 34 women -- were arrested for obstructing the highway.
"While the demonstration was intended to be peaceful, it led to the blockage of a major roadway, causing significant traffic disruptions and creating safety concerns for both protestors and motorists," a Philadelphia police spokesperson wrote. "Officers on the scene issued multiple warnings instructing participants to clear the highway."
The city had implemented several street closures ahead of the planned rally and march. Those closures were later lifted early Thursday evening.
