May Day around the world
rs21 •With photographs and short reports on demonstrations for International Workers’ Day from Moscow to La Paz.
Ben (Moscow):
There were about 150 people on this march. There were multiple marches: the Ukraine crisis has fragmented the left.
Orthodox “Christian” provocateurs attacked the Moscow march. They were objecting to the LGBT contingent. They started by throwing horseshit at them, then continued with eggs.
Ollie (La Paz):
The main march in La Paz wasn’t a proper May Day march: it was billed as a pro-Evo Morales rally with ministers speaking and unions threatening to fine their members if they didn’t go. Sections of the left organised separate marches like this one. The cops didn’t let you join the main march if you went on one of these.
Ali (Rio):
Around 150-200 people. The march was organised by the alternative students’ union. It went to entrance of a favela which is currently under military occupation. “Pacification” programmes in the favelas have increased violence & disappearances. There were speakers from campaigns against police violence, workers who participated in recent strikes at an oil refinery here and from campaigns against privatization of healthcare.
Suzie (Buenos Aires): (Photo: Fernando)
About 10,000 people gathered in the Plaza de Mayo: bigger and qualitatively broader than for a few years. With banners and contingents from TU branches and many parties and org’s of the left, including construction workers, state sector workers, teachers and lecturers, artist collectives, transport workers, Kraft foods factory workers and representatives from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses.
This May Day took place on the back of a prolonged indefinite teachers’ strike in various provinces of Argentina which is fighting for a living wage and has been remarkable for its independent and grass roots nature.
Demonstrators demanded absolution for the Las Heras oil workers: 4 workers have been sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly killing a policeman. Evidence presented to the court by the prosecution was obtained under torture and the whole process is being denounced by human rights lawyers. The campaign is growing for their release.
Seoul (Photo: Bumjin Seo)
Barcelona (photo: Victor Serri / DISO Press):
2 comments
And here is a quick video from the Portland, Oregon May Day march attended by 800-1000.
There was a good contingent by the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) who have been involved in a bitter dispute with employers. As you can see, the ILWU led the march off the route to speak out on the steps of the Wells Fargo building where the bosses HQ is.
It seems my link has disappeared. Here it is again
May Day in Portland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWVsPjqKZHk