May Day fuels international protests

Turkish police have arrested hundreds of left-wing protestors in Istanbul, amid a May Day rally. People were marching toward Taksim Square, to mark the 30th anniversary of the 'Bloody May Day'—when thirty-four people were killed in a stampede in 1977 [after a gunman opened fire]. They were met with tear gas and officers wielding batons. [BBC, May 1]

Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) —
Alfred Makwarimba of ZFTU, addressed "workers" consisting mainly of schoolchildren, who are now on holiday, and ZANU PF youths and baton-wielding police and "Green Bomber" militia.

 
Despite force-marching people from Mbare Musika, among them market vendors and travellers, the stadium was still half empty by mid-day.

 
"We have nothing to celebrate," said Farai Chikoko, of Marondera, who was on his way to Bindura but was force-marched into the stadium.

Some 2,000 workers, including 60 northerners, waved “unification flags” during the May Day rally at the southern industrial city of Changwon.

 
It was the first time since the 1950-1953 Korean War that North Korean workers had visited South Korea for the joint May 1 international labour festival. The two Koreas, following an inter-Korean peace summit in 2000, had joint May Day celebrations in 2001 and 2004 -both in North Korea.

Prague - With teargas and bats Czech police in the Moravian city of Brno on Tuesday broke up one of the biggest neo-Nazi rallies in the country so far, Czech news agency CTK reported.

 
Some 600 people had gathered for what was an authorized May Day event. But Brno authorities banned the gathering after unconstitutional symbols had been displayed, reports said.