May Day mayhem

MAY Day has always been taken seriously on the Continent, not so much as a celebration of spring as a political event, as leftwing activists march in support of organised labour. This year, however, with lockdowns still in place, such gatherings were deemed unlawful in many European countries but went ahead anyway. The reaction of the authorities was characteristically heavyhanded. In Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Madrid and Turin, riot squads took to the streets to confront marchers. Tear gas was fired and water cannon deployed as police and protesters clashed, leaving dozens injured on both sides.

In Berlin, the violence towards police was appalling. It is hardly unusual to see political agitators spoiling for a fight with riot police in Europe, but the lockdowns have brought an extra dimension to this anger, and nor is it confined to political rallies. In Brussels, riot police were deployed to break up a giant openair party of young people who had evidently had enough of being denied their freedom. There is a growing frustration with the restrictions on free movement and the right to gather together that governments across Europe will find increasingly hard to contain while the measures remain in place.