The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Workers, activists mark May Day with rallies
MOSCOW » Workers and activists around the world marked May Day on Tuesday with rallies and other events to press their governments to address labor issues.
International Workers’ Day is a public holiday in many countries, though activities are restricted in some places, sometimes leading to confrontations.
A look at some of the events around the world: • FRANCE Thousands of people marched across the French capital to protest President Emmanuel Macron’s economic policies during a May Day event that brought scattered acts of vandalism and arson to Paris.
Several vehicles, including a car, a motorbike and a construction digger, were set on fire. A Renault dealership and another car shop were smashed up, while a McDonald’s restaurant was looted and left blackened by smoke.
Macron strongly condemned the destruction that disrupted the worker protests in Paris. In a tweet, he vowed that the perpetrators would be found and punished.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo blamed the damage on “hundreds of masked individuals.” Paris Police Prefect Michel Delpuech said a group called the Black Blocs was responsible.
Delpuech estimated that trouble-makers accounted for about 1,200 of the day’s 20,000 demonstrators. The vast majority of marchers were peaceful, he said.
Police used tear gas to try to disperse suspected vandals. They say four people were arrested for carrying prohibited weapons and three for firing projectiles. No major injuries were reported.
The Paris march was among protests held nationwide to oppose changes promoted by Macron, who wants to end some worker protections. • RUSSIA More than 100,000 people came out on the streets on Moscow to march in the traditional May Day parade.
Moscow’s Federation of Trade Unions said about 120,000 people marched from the Red Square on the main streets of the Russian capital to mark May Day.
Over recent years, the parade became a highly orchestrated show of power by Russian authorities and the ruling United Russia party, with the demonstrators refraining from criticizing the government.
In St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, however, Russians unhappy with the Kremlin’s attempts to curtail internet freedom joined the official May Day demonstration.
Several hundred people braved the rainy weather and joined the column marching across St. Petersburg to protest the government’s ban of popular messaging app Telegram.
About 10,000 people rallied in Moscow on Monday to protest the blocking of Telegram. • TURKEY Police detained dozens of demonstrators during May Day events around Istanbul, most of them protesters who tried to march toward the city’s symbolic main square in defiance of a ban.
Turkey declared Taksim Square off-limits to May Day demonstrations citing security concerns. Police blocked roads leading to the square but allowed small groups of labor union representatives to lay wreaths and flowers at monuments there.
Still, small groups of demonstrators, chanting “Long live May 1” and “Taksim cannot be off limits on May 1” tried to push their way into the square throughout the day, leading to scuffles with police. At least 45 demonstrators were detained.