Progressive Labor Party Organizes Solidarity March With Harvard Yard Encampment

Roughly 30 Progressive Labor Party protesters marched down Massachusetts Avenue and spoke with encampment protesters at Harvard Yard’s Johnston Gate on Saturday afternoon.

The march was in celebration of International Workers Day, a celebration that honors the labor union which is held on May 1, or May Day.

Despite May Day still days away, PLP protesters marched Saturday afternoon in support of the encampment protesters, citing support for student demonstrators “all over the country.”

The protesters marched in a circle on Mass. Ave across from a Harvard Glee Club Lite performance, held as part of the Harvard ARTS FIRST Festival.

Joy R. Ho ’26, a student producer of ARTS FIRST, said that the performance was briefly paused due to the noise of the protesters. However, the singers ultimately continued their performance with little interruption.

“We kept singing,” Max V. Semegran ’25, a baritone in Glee Club Lite, said. “We were out there to perform, to enjoy each other's company, and to sing to the audience, and that's what we did. So I don't think it affects it that much.”

“We weren't expecting protesters,” Ho said. “But at least in preparation for this festival, one of the jobs that I had was knowing plans of what happens if something comes up on Mass Ave.”

The Smith Campus Center is “known to have some characters around and some things happen,” she added.

Audience members said while they noticed the brief presence of the protestors, they were ultimately not disturbed by the demonstration.

“I think it's just a product of the time that we’re living in right now,” Alison Forchoh ‘24 said. “I think it speaks to how even though their performance wasn’t inspired or connected to the protests — that was happening kind of in the background — I think it’s interesting how the arts are kind of ever present no matter what is going on in the world.”

Several passersby shouted at the protesters as the PLP proceeded to Johnston Gate.

Roughly 20 protesters remained once they reached Johnston Gate, joined by almost 40 Harvard affiliates from the Yard. A student from Northeastern University addressed the crowd on both sides of the gate, speaking about the encampment on Northeastern’s campus, where law enforcement cleared an encampment and arrested roughly 100 protesters early Saturday morning.

But the protesters — who were almost all non-Harvard affiliates — could not enter the Yard, which is indefinitely open only to Harvard University ID holders.

Former PLP organizer Larry Hambrecht addressed the Harvard encampment protesters, saying “I would say to continue the protests, try to expand the protests, try to reach out to students at other universities and coordinate it.”

“I can’t and I’m not entering the yard,” Hambrecht said. “But as I said, ideas cannot be prevented from entering the Yard.”

—Staff writer Azusa M. Lippit can be reached at azusa.lippit@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @azusalippit or on Threads @azusalippit.

—Staff writer Laurel M. Shugart can be reached at laurel.shugart@thecrimson.com. Follow them on X @laurelmshugart or on Threads @laurel.shugart.

—Staff writer Sheerea X. Yu can be reached at sheerea.yu@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @_shuhree_.