Millions of working class people, from Cuba to Turkey and from Japan to the United States, gathered in the streets to honor the 1st of May, the International Workers' Day, 132 years since the slaughter of the workers in Chicago:
Havana, Cuba
Following a tradition of the last decades, the largest and most impressive May Day rally is organized in the Cuban capital, with millions of people participating in the march across Havana, gathering at the city's Plaza de la Revolucion.
This year's was the second celebration of Dia de los Trabajadores (Workers' Day) since the death of the legendary Comandante Fidel Castro. One of the chants during the rally was "Todos somos Fidel" (We are all Fidel).
Minutes before the May Day march began in the capital, CTC Secretary General Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento spoke before thousands gathered in the Plaza de la Revolución.
At this historic time for the homeland, we workers are undertaking this massive national mobilization under the maxim: Commitment and victory, and based on the organic processes underway in the lead up to the 21st CTC Congress, set to be held next year, stated the trade union leader.
“We are called here today to commemorate transcendental occasions and the legacy of our union leaders, whom we honor today. Here, we express our thanks for their commitment and loyalty,” he noted. Guilarte de Nacimiento went on to state that the spirit of the Cuban people will be present in squares across the island, where islanders will reject the U.S. blockade against the country. (Source: Granma)
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Moscow, Russia
Thousands of workers, members and supporters of the Russian Communist Parties marched in Moscow, as well as in St.Petersburg and other major cities.
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Istanbul, Turkey
Defying the repressive measures of Erdogan's regime, tens of thousands of workers attended the May 1 meeting in İstanbul’s Maltepe district as the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) marked the rally with its massive participation with the slogan: This social order must change!
As thousands of people were marching through several paths into the meeting area, the TKP and the Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) addressed the workers from a party podium. The demonstration started as thousands chanted the Internationale anthem.
“This social order will change with struggle. The reign of money will end. This lie and this falseness and plundering will end, and this social order will collapse. We are standing, we are marching,” Orhan Aydın, communist actor, addressed the thousands.
In the name of the Communist Youth, Ahmet Batur took to the stage. Talking about the government’s plan to split up several universities, Batur underlined that this is a reactionary and anti-scientific project.
From his side, Kemal Okuyan, the General Secretary of the TKP, addressed thousands of communists. “May 1 is the will of the working class to change this order. Celebrating May 1 without standing against exploitation would be hypocritical. One cannot approve private education and health while celebrating May 1,” Okuyan said. (Source: soL international)
Large rallies organized by the TKP were also held in Ankara and Izmir, despite the tight security measures by the police.
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Berlin, Germany
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Barcelona, Spain
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Jakarta, Indonesia
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Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Seoul, South Korea
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Baghdad, Iraq
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New Delhi, India
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Paris, France
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Caracas, Venezuela
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Curitiba, Brazil
