In France there were many large demonstrations in cities and
towns, In Paris, there was a march of some 2,000 anarchists on the morning of
May 1st. This was followed by the main march with a turnout from the usual
unions and left parties, but with also the turnout of both feminists and Gilets
Jaunes (Yellow Vests) who are increasingly radicalising. This was met with a
massive police presence, who attacked demonstrators with batons and gas.
Two thousand demonstrated in the centre of Rennes. Several thousands
demonstrated at Toulouse, where again demonstrators were attacked with many
tear gas grenades by police. There were two thousand demonstrators at Orleans,
and between nine to eleven thousand demonstrators at Lyon, with a large
anarchist bloc. There was a very large anarchist contingent on the
demonstration at Dijon, where two thousand turned out for May Day. A few gas
canisters fired by the cops. Two thousand at Cherbourg with an anarchist bloc, ten
thousand at Bordeaux and a thousand at Aubenas. On all of these demonstrations,
there were turnouts from feminists, climate change campaigners and Gilets
Jaunes.
In Colombia, there was a large anarchist presence on the May Day demo in
Bogota.
In Chile there were brutal attacks by the police on demonstrators.
In El Salvador, there was a large anarchist bloc on the demo in San Salvador.
There was an anarchist presence on the demonstration in Helsinki, Finland.
In Bangladesh the Anarchosyndicalist Federation organised a large event.
In Sweden twenty anarchists protesting against the government’s plans to clamp
down on strikes were brutally arrested.
In Turkey, despite the severe repression there, large numbers of anarchists
under red and black flags turned out.
In Bandung in Indonesia, police arrested six hundred anarchists, out of an
anarchist bloc of one thousand, stripped them to their underwear and shaved
their heads. Elsewhere in Indonesia, police tried to block a large anarchist
bloc marching to join the main demonstration, leading to clashes.
In Germany in Berlin, police attacked a demonstration of twenty thousand, who
chanted “The streets are ours” and “anticapitalism”.
In Italy, police attacked a demonstration against a transalpine high speed
train tunnel.
In Greece there was a 24 hour strike of transport workers, including ferry,
tram, train and bus workers.
