AFP, published on Sunday, May 01, 2022 at 9:48 p.m.
With inflation, claims for purchasing power were at the heart of the traditional May Day demonstrations around the world on Sunday, which were marked by incidents in France and arrests in Turkey.
Incidents in Paris
In Paris, numerous clashes have pitted the police against very mobile groups of young people dressed in black.
According to an AFP journalist, around twenty brands, mostly McDonald’s, insurers, real estate agencies or banks, were damaged and a broken car. They also threw projectiles at the police, who tried to disperse them with tear gas. Eight firefighters were injured, according to the Minister of the Interior.
Across France, a hundred thousand people marched, most often without incident, in a highly politicized context after the re-election on April 24 of President Emmanuel Macron, facing far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.
Numerous arrests in Istanbul
Dozens of people were arrested in Istanbul, six days after the convictions of patron Osman Kavala and seven members of civil society accused of wanting to overthrow the regime.
The governor’s services reported the arrest of 164 people who wanted to join the famous Taksim Square, the epicenter of the major anti-government protests of 2013, closed to traffic and parades.
Boos for the South African president
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has left the May Day celebrations in a hurry after angry miners invaded the stage where he was to speak at the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenberg (north). The protesters, who chanted “Cyril must leave”, demanded an increase in wages.
Calls for the resignation of the Sri Lankan president
In Sri Lanka, affected by a violent economic crisis, the opposition demanded in unison the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, during massive rallies.
“Go home Gota”, chanted tens of thousands of activists in Colombo.
Months of power outages, runaway inflation and severe shortages of food, fuel and pharmaceuticals have sparked widespread anti-Rajapaksa protests since mid-March.
Purchasing power, the watchword in Athens
Thousands of people demonstrated in Athens, demanding more measures to support purchasing power, in the face of inflation which reached 9.4% in April in Greece.
If the minimum wage was increased on May 1 by 50 euros, to 713 euros monthly, this measure is considered insufficient by the unions, who are demanding 825 euros.
… to Madrid
In Madrid, they were around 10,000 demonstrators, according to a government spokesman, marching to demand wage increases and measures against inflation. A large banner claimed: “May Day. The solution: Raise wages, contain prices and expand equality.”
Other demonstrations took place across Spain and in Andorra, where the rise in the cost of living, the price of housing and the loss of purchasing power were also at the center of the demands.
… and in Argentina
Two rallies took place in Buenos Aires: the first at the initiative of a Peronist group close to the government which showed its support for the current policy, while pleading for a more pronounced social focus in the face of inflation.
The other was at the initiative of organizations on the left of power to say no to the repayment of the debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to demand a radical social shift and better wages.
… and in Honduras
In Honduras, in an unprecedented way, President Xiomara Castro, in power for almost 100 days, took part in a march of several thousand workers in San Pedro Sula, 180 km north of the capital Tegucigalpa.
The crowd chanted his name and burned the effigy of his predecessor Juan Orlando Hernández, extradited to the United States on April 21 to answer for drug trafficking after eight years at the head of the country.
Working for Peace” in Italy
In Italy, the main trade union confederations had called for a rally in Assisi (center), city of Saint Francis, patron saint of Italy, on the theme “Working for peace” in the context of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. “We must absolutely work to put an end to this absurd war, wanted by Putin”, declared the leader of the Cgil union, Maurizio Landini, in front of several hundred activists.
Egg throw in Berlin
Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey was speaking at a rally in Berlin, attended by 7,500 people according to media reports, when a protester threw an egg at her. Her security service was able to protect her with an umbrella.
Somewhere else
Several thousand people also marched in London, at the call of unions and environmental or societal organizations, such as Black Lives Matter (Black lives matter).
In Cuba, at the call of the government, hundreds of thousands of Cubans, wearing masks, marched in the main cities, at a time when the island is facing serious shortages and rising prices. After two years of confinement linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, the communist government had called on workers to participate in these parades, organizing bus transport. The rally took place in Havana in the presence of President Miguel Diaz-Canel and revolutionary leader Raul Castro.