Today, all around the world people are taking to the streets in what has in recent years become an anti-globalisation protest. Some rally in peace while others in violence.
Istanbul: “Turkey's constitutional court today annulled a parliamentary vote in support of the country's foreign minister, Abdullah Gul - accused by his opponents of hiding an Islamist agenda - as a presidential candidate. The ruling came after an opposition boycott of the vote, and amid huge protests by pro-secular Turks against the moderately Islamist government of the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On Sunday up to a million people demonstrated in Istanbul against Mr Erdogan's AK party's choice of the foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, as its presidential candidate. Police today arrested 600 people in clashes in Istanbul's Taksim Square ahead of an official May Day march. Tear gas, water cannon and clubs were used to clear the square.” (The Guardian)According to NPR’s correspondent in Istanbul, the effort by the police to keep people out of Taksim is the largest in the country’s history. Transportation has been shut down in a city of over 10 million, this includes ferry service.
Tel Aviv: “Some 4,000 members of Israeli socialist youth groups turned out in Tel Aviv on Tuesday for a march to mark May Day. The marchers were to set off from Rabin Square and head to Tel Aviv Museum. Another rally to mark the day was held at the Cinematheque in Tel Aviv, where musicians and members of social action groups gathered.” Haaretz
Nuremberg: “…a march by some 200 members of the right-wing nationalist NPD party was met by a counterdemonstration of up to 5,000.” DW World
Dakar: Angry workers at Firestone have clashed several times with police during a strike now entering its second week. James Makor, a Monrovia human rights activist, says Firestone, a subsidiary of Japanese tire giant Bridgestone, has also prevented the establishment of a union independent of management.
"Firestone will do everything to suppress workers on grounds that they do not want rapid change into their system," he said. "They want their people to remain silent so they can use them as much as they want to, to maximize their own systems." VOA News
Macau: “Riot police in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau fired into the air on Tuesday as they struggled to disperse May Day crowds demanding labour rights and an end to corruption.
"There were three or four gunshots. Police fired towards the sky, there was smoke," said a Reuters photographer. "At the time the protesters were running towards the police."
Police at the scene confirmed that they had fired five live shots into the air but said no one was injured in the shooting. They could not confirm how many people had been arrested or injured in the fracas.
More than 1,000 protesters carried banners and placards calling for better labour protection and an end to corruption. Some also demanded the resignation of Chief Executive Edmund Ho, Macau's Beijing-appointed leader.” Alert Net
Harare, Zimbabwe: “The government announced a 680 percent increase in the price of corn, the staple food, as the nation marked May Day amid rapidly worsening economic woes. The food hike cast a pall over countrywide activities for labor day already focusing on deepening poverty and continuing political turmoil.” iht.com
Prague: “The police in Prague detained some tens of people during incidents accompanying a May Day meeting of right-wing extremists who clashed with anarchists trying to prevent their march today, Prague police spokeswoman Eva Miklikova told CTK.” Ceskenoviny
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