Lefty groups behind grassroots May Day protests in US propped up by billionaires and dark-money network: Hypocrisy is glaring

Dozens of lefty groups behind the country’s supposedly “grassroots” May Day protests have been largely bankrolled by two billionaires and a dark-money network of progressive nonprofits.More than $500 million from Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss’ organizations, hedge-fund tycoon George Soros’ Open Society Foundations and the dark-money Arabella network flowed to the progressive groups between fiscal years 2016 and 2023, according to an analysis shared with The Post.The funding wasn’t intended for the May Day protests per se, but it has been propping up many of the self-styled “grassroots” progressive activist groups over time.“The hypocrisy of the May Day protests is glaring,” said Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust, to The Post.“These organizations project the illusion of being driven by everyday Americans, but in reality they’re being bankrolled by some of the biggest dark-money megadonors in politics.”Starting Thursday, on May Day, organizers put together more than 1,000 protests across the country to demonstrate against President Trump, activity that spilled into the weekend.Although the day is not generally a significant phenomenon in the US, in some countries, it is a holiday to mark International Workers’ Day and spring festivities.Oftentimes, labor movements overseas use it to protest for certain causes.The “50501” movement — or “50 protests, 50 states, 1” effort, an anti-Trump organization that formed in January — is widely credited for trying to move that international energy into the US by orchestrating the widespread stateside protests last week.US organizers framed the demonstrations as a fight against “Trump and his billionaire profiteers” — despite records showing that prominent plutocrats were funding many of the participating activist groups.Many of the protests were also directed at tech baron Elon Musk, who is poised to dramatically reduce his cost-cutting role in the ...