On May Day, A Hint Of Hope Amid Protests

Rallies Held Worldwide For Workers' Rights, Economic Equality; In Cuba, Hope For More Change

(AP)  Thousands of marchers gathered in Hamburg on May Day to call for more workers' rights, while protesters in Turkey were met with police batons and water cannon.

In Russia on Thursday, marchers called for economic equality, and in Cuba residents hoped their president would offer up more changes.

May 1 is known in Germany and elsewhere as the unofficial International Workers' Day and is typically marked with demonstrations and rallies that can sometimes turn violent.

In Istanbul, Turkish riot police used clubs, tear gas and water cannon to break up crowds of workers and students trying to reach a main square for a Labor Day rally that had been banned by the government.

Six police officers were injured and 467 demonstrators were detained. Thousands of police were on the street after Turkish unions said they would defy the government and hold May Day celebrations in Istanbul's Taksim square, which had been the scene of violent protests decades ago.

Officials set up barricades in and around the square where May Day celebrations have been banned since 1977, when unknown gunmen opened fire on demonstrators, causing a stampede that left several dozen dead.

"Long live May 1!" and "Everywhere is Taksim!" the protesters shouted Thursday, in addition to slogans denouncing the government.

Clashes also broke out at a rally in the capital, Ankara. Police fired tear gas to disperse a stone- and stick-throwing crowd. At least one person was rushed to hospital, suffering respiratory problems.

In Germany, anti-capitalism protests in Hamburg on the eve of May Day turned to violence and vandalism, police said Thursday.

The night before May 1, known in Germany as Walpurgisnacht, is also an occasion for mischief. This year nearly 1,000 people attended a rally in Hamburg where protests against capitalism and in support of socialism quickly escalated into scattered violence and vandalism.

As many as 10,000 people were gathering for more rallies, including 800 registered to march in a parade for the far-right National Democratic Party. Leftist groups from across Germany were expected to mount a counter-demonstration.

In Manila, thousands of Philippine workers marched to demand President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's resignation for not raising the minimum wage to help them cope with surging food and fuel prices. Watched by riot police, two major groups of workers marched separately across Manila, waving red flags and placards, and then held noisy rallies at a downtown Manila square where musical bands and singers delighted the crowd.

About 30,000 people participated in rallies around Moscow, Russian police officials said. Members of the Kremlin-backed party United Russia marched down a main Moscow artery, carrying banners reading "Economic Growth Not Just For The Wealthy," "Putin and Medvedev are the Saviors of Higher Education" And "Say No to Higher Prices!"

Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, meanwhile, led a procession of red, hammer-and-sickle flags and portraits of Lenin and Stalin over a bridge toward the Kremlin.

The holiday has lost much of its significance for most Russians since the Soviet era, when May 1 was a major celebration of worker solidarity and Soviet might. Most people now use the holiday to spend a long weekend at their country homes.

In Havana, hundreds of thousands of Cubans were expected to gather in Revolution Plaza for May Day amid hopes the government would announce more small changes to daily life on the communist-run island.

President Raul Castro, who has erased a string of much-despised restrictions on daily life during his first two months in office, is expected to attend celebrations honoring the world's workers. Officials did not say if he would speak.

[downsteamjim]

Note to Raul: Dear Comrade you forgot to have your face ironed. I know communism still has a few wrinkles, but it is still the best solution for the nineteenth century.

[juwboy]

MagicMerlin8 asked where Engels is buried.

I don''t know, but Karl Marx is buried in Highgate cemetery in north London.

[pfd572]

ringading: what in the world do you base your comments on? How are they communists? Weird.

[ringading3]

And all the UNION Commies celebrated in San Francisco, the new MOSCOW. As the old commies become capitalist, the new DEMONCRAPS become the New COMMIES. Karl Marx would be proud of Comrades Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

[pfd572]

I understand that the economy needs some of these workers. BUT, what part of demanding, not requesting, the laws be ignored or changed for primarily one nationality (Mexican) in this country is palatable to anyone? And carrying the Mexican flag while making these demands is somewhat distasteful to Americans as well. I have no problem with guest workers, etc. I do have problems with the strident tones of the demands, the less then equal rights given to non-citizens in Mexico while demanding rights here in the US, and the refusal for many immigrants to even attempt to learn the language or otherwise assimilate even after living here for 10 or more years. I don''t expect everyone to learn the language, etc. right away, but when I have to get a spanish translator to conduct business in even large retail chains, something is wrong. I refuse to allow the government to penalize children of immigrants. There is no excuse for punitive acts against someone who has no voice in their parents choices. Saying that, the illegal immigrant ''demands'' need to be tempered with reasonable expectations and some willingness to do more than just work here, receive benefits (schooling, medical, etc.), and live as though they never left their home country. Other cultures and nationalities are able to maintain a connection with their ''home country'', like the Irish, Korean and other Asian immigrants, and still learn the language and otherwise integrate with society.

[speakinup]

yeah - the audacity of it all.

[antoniof123]

And this story is about A Hint Of Hope?

Please expalin to me how. Violence breeds violence and at the rate it seems to be spreading it will reach us all sooner rather than laters.