More than a million people rallied in traditional May Day rallies
across Europe. In Italy, labor unions had a strong message for the
mafia, in Germany demonstrators protested against globalization and in
Russia communists honored Lenin and Marx.
Hundreds of thousands turned out across Europe to take part in mainly
peaceful May Day rallies.
In Italy, the three major trade unions gathered the Calabrian town of
Locri, to give a strong message against the Mafia. They underlined the
importance of the rule of law in the south of Italy and of economic
development.
One union leader said Locri was chosen because it is an area that needs
help. Unemployment in the region stands at more than 40 percent.
Union leader Luigi Angeletti said the square from where he addressed
the crowd was chosen to thank young people and to tell them that the trade
union will not leave them alone.
May Day rallies were held in other Italian cities, the biggest in
Milan, where Education Minister Letizia Moratti, who is running for mayor
in the city, was forced to leave because of protests against her. Rome
celebrated with its annual huge May Day concert.
Labor unions in Germany protested the effect of globalization on
Europe's largest economy, accusing firms of sacrificing jobs for quick
profit. Years of slow economic growth and massive job cuts by German firms
have pushed up unemployment in Germany, now at 11.5 percent.
The extreme right gathered in Paris. About 3,000 people listened to a
speech by National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen at Place de l'Opera,
after a march that began at a statue of Joan of Arc, whom the party views
as its patron saint. Le Pen called for a "patriotic union" of the far
right to support him in next year's presidential election.
In the Austrian capital, Vienna, about 120,000 members of the
opposition Social Democratic Party participated in a traditional May Day
march, a show of party pride ahead of this autumn's parliamentary
elections.
Thousands of workers from across the Britain joined a May Day march
through the streets of London, held against a backdrop over health cuts, job insecurity,
and pensions.
Union chief Tony Woodley called for British Prime Minister Tony Blair
to resign.
"The reality of it is Mr. Blair has already decided to stand down
himself - it is a question of timing," said Woodley. "The sooner that
happens now and we get stability in our party with a new leader who makes
their own mark, on what their policies are, what their government is and
what the future is, that will be an awful lot better for British work, and
men and women, and the British working public."
Some of the biggest May Day gatherings were held in Moscow, where
thousands gathered in central Tverskaya Street to hear speeches from trade
union leaders and the city mayor.
Meanwhile, communists marched from a square where there is a statue of
Lenin to their usual rallying spot by a statue to Karl Marx, opposite the
Bolshoi Theater.
In Bosnia, the unemployed marched down Sarajevo's main street,
demanding new elections and the resignation of the government, which they
claim is not doing enough to lower the 40- percent unemployment rate.
Thousands also marched in central Athens to protest the war in Iraq and
the Greek government's economic policies. |