Workers are demanding paid maternity leave, minimum wage hikes, and shorter shifts.
Millions of workers across the world poured into the streets Wednesday for International Workers’ Day, an annual working-class rebellion known as May Day.
Some of the rallies were tame, but otherswere messy, dramatic, and even violent. Riot police in Turkey, Russia, France, and Italy clashed with crowds of agitated protesters and arrested hundreds of them.
Workers across the world have been spending May 1 this way for more than a century. Socialists in Europe picked the day to honor laborers killed in the Chicago Haymarket riot of 1886. Workers in the city had gone on strike that year on May 1, demanding an eight-hour workday in the US and across the globe. Clashes with police ended up killing eight people, and four labor leaders were later executed by hanging.
Historians consider the Haymarket riot a pivotal moment in the history of America’s labor movement, according to the National Park Service, which designated the site as a historic landmark. In the agency’s description of the strike’s significance, it’s easy to see how the event still inspires protests taking place today:
As a result of clashes between workers and police in Chicago following May Day rallies, and the subsequent execution of several protesters, May Day took on added significance as a day to commemorate the martyrdom of workers, and has been celebrated throughout the world since 1886.
More than a century after the Chicago strike, May Day rallies have expanded far beyond the US and Europe. In most countries, May 1 is a national holiday. And demonstrations often involve brawls with police.
Taipei, Taiwan
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Workers in Taipei, Taiwan, march in the rain with signs that say “more holidays and social security.”
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
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Kyrgyz Communist Party supporters hold red flags and portraits of Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Turin, Italy
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Italian riot police beat back protesters on the streets of Turin. Food delivery drivers participated in the rally to demand a minimum hourly wage instead of a pay rate per order.
Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Garment workers rally for maternity leave and sexual harassment protections in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Lyon, France
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Demonstrators in Lyon, France, wear goggles and masks to protect themselves from tear gas. Public sector workers have been protesting President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to cut benefits for government employees.
Moscow, Russia
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Labor unions with ties to the Kremlin organized peaceful marches through Moscow’s Red Square. Police arrested dozens of anti-government protesters.
Jakarta, Indonesia
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Police block workers from marching to Indonesia’s national palace to demand higher wages.
Paris, France
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Anti-riot police walk past a burning barricade during clashes with protesters in Paris. Many participants were part of France’s “Yellow Vest” movement, a group of leftists and workers upset about rising income inequality.
Ankara, Turkey
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Members of Turkey’s labor party race down the street with a photo of Josef Stalin in downtown Ankara. Workers are angry about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s crackdown on labor unions and strikes.
Algiers, Algeria
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Workers chant anti-government slogans in the capital of Algeria. Teachers, miners, and factory workers have been striking for months to protest high unemployment and poverty under President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s regime.
Hong Kong, China
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Migrants protest harsh working conditions in Hong Kong.
Seoul, South Korea
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Construction workers in South Korea complain about deteriorating working conditions and demand equal pay for temporary workers.
Manila, Philippines
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Workers burn an effigy of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte outside the presidential palace in Manila. They want the government to raise the minimum wage and require employers to honor labor contracts.
Plauen, Germany
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Supporters of a right-wing political party, Third Way, march in a parade through Plauen, Germany.
Gaza City, Palestinian territories
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Palestinian women bang on pots during a rally in Gaza City. United Nations workers there have gone on strike to protest layoffs after US President Donald Trump stopped sending aid to Palestinians.
Lagos, Nigeria
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Nigerian workers rally in response to the country’s economic downturn and to demand a stronger social safety net.
London, England
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A woman holds a colored flare as Union members take part in the annual May Day march in London.
