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Workers on the march: May Day in pictures

THE struggle for workers’ rights is a global one. Here the Star presents pictures from all across the world, some celebrating while others face oppression on May Day. 

Austria:

Trade unions carry a rainbow flag in Vienna

Cuba:

A Cuban soldier carries a cartoon of US President Donald Trump during the annual May Day parade held in Revolution Square in Havana.

Trump claimed on Twitter that if Cuban troops do not cease their support of Venezuela immediately, Cuba would suffer “a full and complete embargo” as well as “highest-level sanctions.”

France:

A protester stands on a pedestrian crossing light during a May Day demonstration in Paris.

The French interior minister told police there was a risk “radical activists” could join the anti-neoliberal Gilets Jaunes protesters and trade unionists across the country. 

Riot police officers block demonstrators during a May Day rally in Paris.

Police and protesters clash near Montparnasse train station in Paris. 

Cambodia:

Cambodian workers march through Phnom Penh demanding better working conditions. 

Greece:

Protesters with fists raised in the air sing during a rally organised by the Communist Party-affiliated Pame union outside the Greek parliament in central Athens. 

There are three separate marches on parliament today organised by the unions and left-wing groups.

Workers on strike in the debt-ridden country have forced national rail, island ferry and other transport services to close for the day as workers and trade unionists celebrate May Day.


Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis (centre) marches with protesters through in central Athens holding a banner which reads “Disobedience.” 

Hong Kong


Construction workers, bus drivers, freelancers and domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia take part in a May Day march through Central. 

India

Trade unionists walk past the Shaheed Minar monument in Kolkata. 

 

Indonesia

Thousands of workers in Jakarta urge the government to raise minimum wages, ban outsourcing practices, provide free healthcare and improve working conditions for workers in the country.

Italy:

Riot police block a May Day rally in Turin. 

Iraq:

A woman chants while supporters of the Iraqi Communist Party march behind her through Baghdad. 

The protesters’ banner reads: “Providing soft loans to women, ensure a decent living for children, providing job opportunities for women, building and developing a better economy.”

Lebanon:

Lebanese Communist Party supporters march through Beirut carrying a sign which reads: “Unite.”

The Communist Party used the occasion to protest at the worsening economic conditions in the country. 

Myanmar:

Hundreds of factory workers marched in Yangon to mark International Workers' Day demanding better working rights. 

The placards above read: “The government must enshrine the 98 points of the International Labour Organisation into law.” 

Philippines:

Thousands of workers prepare to burn an effigy of President Rodrigo Duterte during a rally near the Presidential Palace in Manila.

The workers attacked President Rodrigo Duterte for reneging on his campaign promise three years ago to end insecure work. 

Russia:

As in Soviet times, people parade across Red Square in Moscow.

Riot police officers detain protesters carrying placards reading: “Putin is not immortal,” during a rally in St Petersburg. 

South Africa:


A man waves a South Arrican Communist Party placard at a Congress of South Africa Trade Unions May Day rally in Pinetown, Durban.

South Korea

Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions rally in Seoul. The words on their helmets read: “Unity and fight.”

Korean Confederation of Trade Unions members hold banners reading: “Let’s win the wage struggle.”

Spain:


Workers take part in the May Day rally in Madrid.

Spain’s workers are marching in its major cities to make their voices heard days before acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez starts negotiating with other parties to form a new government.

Sri Lanka

An armed police officer stands near people taking part in a May Day rally organised by the Frontline Socialist Party in Colombo despite the government calling the celebrations off. 

Switzerland:

Workers hold aloft a Death Star squid on a May Day march in Zurich.

A protestor in a purple Darth Vader costume marches during a trade union demonstration in Basel.

Turkey

Turkish police officers arrest demonstrators during May Day protests in Istanbul.

Police in Istanbul detained several people who tried to march towards Istanbul’s symbolic Taksim Square in defiance of the government’s ban.

A man screams from inside a police bus after he was arrested by Turkish police officers.

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