Thousands rally around the globe to celebrate May Day, the largest labor holiday in the world. Amid heavy police presence, many are gathering to protest against the harsh austerity measures that have seen many Europeans mired in poverty and need.
02 May 2014
Protesters in Seattle chanted, “The power of the people don’t stop!” and waved signs that read, “15 Now” as they marched from Judkins Park to Westlake Park. The 'May Day March and Rally for Workers and Immigrant Rights' is sponsored by El Comité and the May First Action Coalition. It seeks to end deportations of undocumented workers and calls for a $15 minimum wage. Earlier Thursday, Mayor Ed Murray announced a plan to satisfy that demand by raising the minimum wage to $15 over the next seven years.
Several hundred people are participating so far, and the mood has remained mellow throughout the day, despite a large police presence. The calm vibe is in stark contrast to previous years, when violence has broken out. Last year, violent clashes marked the final hours of May Day protests in Seattle, as police officers fired pepper spray and launched ‘flash bang’ grenades into crowds, leading to 17 arrests and two local reporters being pepper-sprayed.
Seattle May Day March down Jackson pic.twitter.com/KsC2qTERF9
— Michael Crye (@fauxcrye) May 1, 2014
In New York City, a march led by pro-labor groups converged with marchers from immigrant-advocacy groups in front of city hall. The protesters focused on rights for undocumented immigrants and raising the minimum wage. The three main demands were to end immigrant deportations, retroactive pay for new city contracts and an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The minimum wage demand comes one day after Senate Republicans killed a bill that would have raised the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. The event began in Union Square before heading to Zuccotti Park, the park made famous for hosting the Occupy Wall Street encampments.
01 May 2014
About 1,000 May Day protesters in Milwaukee, Wisc. marched to the county courthouse to call for President Barack Obama to end deportations and enact immigration reform. They also targeted Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. and Republican Gov. Scott Walker for an agreement they made with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, where local sheriffs can hold immigrants up to 48 hours so that their legal status can be investigated.
Danish protesters lashed out on the government’s policy during the May Day rally in Copenhagen’s Felledparken, saying it’s too far right and doesn’t support local workers.
However, some demonstrators supported Prime Minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt’s speech at the rally, who said that Denmark has “returned to the right track.” Police said there were some scuffles between the two side
Around 210,000 people have taken to the streets of France, including 65,000 in Paris, according to the leadership of the General Confederation of Labor trade union, which organized the march. Demonstrators marched from Paris' Place de la Nation to Place de la Bastille, demanding that the government fight unemployment and prevent the decrease of salaries.
“Unite against government austerity measures,” placards read.
Another rally was organized by France’s Democratic Confederation of Labour at Place de la Bataille-de-Stalingrad in Paris and called on the EU to take measures to battle unemployment. Union leaders and 200 activists then laid wreaths at the Communards' Wall in Père-Lazesh.
In a third rally, National Front leader Marine Le Pen slammed the EU for “deindustrializing France” and “destroying the country.” Le Pen urged France to “restore” its borders and exit the Schengen Area. According to her, 22,000 people took part in the rally, though police said there were no more than 6,000 people in attendance.
Several hundred people from the Communist Party of Armenia held a rally in Yerevan demonstrating in favor of Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union created by Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, Itar-tass reported.
The people marched towards the Russian Embassy, carrying Soviet-era flags and placards and chanting "Russia, Russia!"
The demonstrators requested that every possible support be given to the large-scale integration processes which are a “crucial solution for the people of our long-suffering republic,” and the “first step towards creating the Eurasian Union next year.”
142 demonstrators have been detained and 90 people, including 19 police officers, were injured in the Turkish capital of Istanbul, said the local governor’s office in a statement, as cited by the Hurriyet Daily. Twenty-three people are still being treated in hospital, the statement added. The figure includes only those treated in hospitals and does not take into account those who have been treated outside.
Dozens gathered near the Iraqi Communist Party headquarters in downtown Baghdad for a May Day demo in Iraq. Most of the demonstrators were party members. They raised Iraqi flags and those of the former Soviet Union.
In the Malaysian capital, thousands gathered to protests against the growing price of goods and 6 percent services tax that will be implemented from April 2015. The people fear that the tax will increase the cost of living, which will further burden the poor following last year’s cut subsidies on fuel and electricity.
The rally is a clear message that people are against the new tax, “which is only going to make the cronies richer,” said opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
In Iran thousands gathered in Tehran to celebrate Labor Day as President Hassan Rouhani addressed workers saying he supports the establishment of unions free from government control.
“Workers’ organizations and unions should be formed freely,” Rouhani said. “The government should not interfere in these associations.”
In the Philippines, thousands of workers gathered for a peaceful demo in Manila, AP reported. The workers were demanding a wage increase and protested against the practice of replacing regular employees with temporary workers who have no benefits.
"Raise wages, bring down prices!" members of labor groups shouted, while marching toward the presidential palace.
The protesters also accused President Benigno Aquino III of failing to implement anti-corruption and pro-poor reforms.
Over 30,000 demonstrators took to the streets in Simferopol, the capital of the Crimean peninsula, for the annual Labor Day rally, RIA Novisti reported. Following Crimea’s accession to Russia, this is the first time May 1 has proceeded with people waving Russian flags and shouting “Russian and Crimea together forever.”
People from labor, cultural and health organizations as well as veterans and members of the Crimean self-defense forces marched along the city’s main avenue to the sounds of drums and a brass band.
Around 100,000 workers from Indonesia’s capital and surrounding areas, such as Bekasi and Tangerang, rallied in Jakarta on Labour Day, the Jakarta Post reported.
The workers gathered at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle and marched to the State Palace demanding that the minimum wage be increased 30 percent starting next year.
"The government has increased the minimum wage by 20 to 25 percent before. This year, we demand that the increase reaches 30 percent," said Confederation of Indonesian Worker’s Union (KSPI) chairman Said Iqbal, during the Labor Day rally in Jakarta.
The union chairman also asked the government to eliminate outsourcing practices, free public transportation and low-cost housing for workers, as well as 12 years free education and scholarships for their children.
“We will strike if the government turns a blind eye to our demands,” he said.
In Istanbul, several demonstrators were injured and at least five detained as riot police used tear gas and water cannon to prevent demonstrators trying to defy a ban on rallies on the city's Taksim Square, the Anatolia news agency reported.
There is a party like atmosphere in Athens, where RT’s Marina Kosareva is reporting.
Thousands of people have gathered on Syntagma Square, right in the heart of the city. The crowd is in good spirits, with music being played over the loud speakers, but there is a general belief amongst the locals that things are not going to get better in the near future.
“The workers are still trying, but so far nothing has been achieved,” said one local, while another commented, “this year more than any it is important to celebrate May Day so that we can try and change what is going on around Europe.”
There are police on standby near the square, but no one is expecting the gathering to turn violent as there is a party atmosphere in the city, even despite Greece suffering unemployment levels of almost 27 percent.
8,500 policemen were deployed to keep order, while traffic was blocked in the city center.
Up to 100,000 people participated in the May Day demonstration in Moscow, the first march near Red Square since 1991.
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Police dispersed protesters in the Turkish capital of Ankara, directing tear gas and water cannon against a group who staged the rally illegally. Around 10 protesters have been detained. Ankara’s city center is currently completely blocked off to traffic.
During the May Day celebrations in the southeastern city of Donetsk, dozens of demonstrators took to the streets to call for more autonomy for the regions of Ukraine.
Protestors being detained by police after a clash as they tried to push past police line #Istanbul#May1#1mayispic.twitter.com/ZlmDmgogpp
— Sara Firth (@SaraFirth_RT) May 1, 2014
VIDEO: Clashes are still ongoing in Istanbul
Italian labor unions have gathered hundreds of thousands of people for May Day demonstrations, with most banners and slogans alluding to the economic crisis and job shortages (12.7 percent).
Turkey's General Directorate of Security has ordered police to use specially-designed portable steel walls for the first time, during this year's May Day, Hurriyet reported.
The camera-equipped walls can automatically spray tear gas when protesters push against them. Three have been sent to Istanbul and one is being used in the capital of Ankara.
A few thousand people gathered for a May Day rally in central Kiev. The organizers of the march told Itar-Tass news agency that “no candidates for the Ukrainian presidency are taking part” in the event.
The demonstrators are demanding constitutional reform, snap parliamentary and local elections, and an all-Ukrainian referendum to establish the status of the Russian language in the country.
One person has been injured in Besiktas, according to the daily Radikal. Meanwhile, police are resorting to using large amounts of tear gas and water cannon in the streets of the Sisli district.
Happy Labour Day ... Dictator Erdogan's police attack the workers who wants to go to Taksim square. (Istanbul Turkey) pic.twitter.com/WEcfMybQHm
— Kızıl Zorro (@3kizilzorrom) May 1, 2014
Some residents in the Besiktas district who were severely affected by the intense level of tear gas used by security forces have been evacuated from their homes, Hurriyet reported. Families were seen running with babies in their arms.
Gezi Park in Istanbul is currently protected by around 30 special operations units, the daily Radikal reported. Armored vehicles are also deployed next to the park. Police aren’t allowing journalists to take photos or shoot any video.
Policemen pose for selfies in the Şişli neighborhood
Some protesters have let off fireworks and thrown Molotov cocktails at police in the side streets of the Okmeydanı neighborhood in Istanbul. In response, security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets.
Crowds are being pushed back into side streets in Istanbul by police water cannon during May Day demonstrations.
Elsewhere in Turkey’s Istanbul, May Day protests are being conducted peacefully without any police involvement.
Turkish police have deployed tear gas and water cannon during May Day protests in Istanbul’s Besiktas neighborhood, reports AFP. The city’s authorities have closed off Istanbul’s Taksim Square with police barricades, citing intelligence reports that “illegal terrorist groups” had planned attacks on security forces during the May Day demonstrations.
Police attacked with gas st besiktas taksim turkey pic.twitter.com/wePnWkdbSt
— Merlinka (@Meralink) May 1, 2014
May Day rallies are planned throughout Europe - from Athens to Berlin to London
Over 27,000 people have taken part in the May Day rally in the Japanese capital Tokyo. The protesters demanded to increase the salaries and to tackle the job shortage issues.
One of the main burning issues was the hike in tax on all purchase and sale operations – from 5 to 8 per cent.
Also, the crowds urged the authorities to give up the nuclear energy, over three years after the country was struck with the most severe crisis in its history.
Moscow revives the tradition to celebrate the occasion with the May Day parade on the Red Square, for the first time since 1991.
"For the first time, five thousand (labor) veterans will stand on the tribunes of Red Square," Sergey Chernov, chairman of the Moscow Labor Union Federation, was quoted by ITAR-Tass as saying.
Over 2 million people took part in the May Day demos across Russia in about 1,100 cities and towns, according to preliminary estimations, said the head of Russia’s Independent Trade Union Federation Mikhail Shmakov.
“Today our holiday is celebrated across the country, it has finished in Kamchatka and Primorye, it is ongoing in Siberia and the European part of the country,” he said speaking at Red Square.
In Vladivostok, buses with the “May 1” logo took the May Day demonstrators to the celebration venues. The rallies were marked by the record number of people: 40,000 residents of the Russian Far Eastern city took to the streets to celebrate.