In photos: Workers rally around the world on May Day - The Washington Post

World

In photos: Workers rally around the world to mark May Day

People squeezed by inflation and demanding economic justice took to the streets of cities across Asia and Europe to mark May Day on Monday, in a global outpouring of worker discontent not seen since before the covid-19 pandemic sent the world into lockdowns.

Aurelien Morissard/AP

French unions pushed the president to scrap a higher retirement age. South Koreans pleaded for higher wages. Spanish lawyers demanded the right to take days off. Migrant domestic workers in Lebanon marched in a country plunged in economic crisis.

Aurelien Morissard/AP

While May Day is marked around the world on May 1 as a celebration of labor rights, this year’s rallies tapped into broader frustrations. Climate activists spray-painted a Louis Vuitton museum in Paris, and protesters in Germany demonstrated against violence targeting women and LGBTQ+ people.

Aurelien Morissard/AP

May 1 | Lille, France

Protesters take part in a demonstration on May Day to mark the international day of workers, more than a month after the government pushed an unpopular pensions reform act through Parliament.

Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/Getty Images

Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/Getty Images

May 1 | Toulouse, France

Protesters march next to a burning trash can.

Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images

Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images

May 1 | Toulouse, France

A protester throws a projectile during a demonstration.

Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images

Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images

May 1 | Nantes, France

Demonstrators throw tear gas as they clash with police.

Stephane Mahe/Reuters

Stephane Mahe/Reuters

May 1 | Paris

Riot police officers face youths during a demonstration.

Aurelien Morissard/AP

Aurelien Morissard/AP

May 1 | Paris

An explosive explodes during a demonstration.

Thibault Camus/AP

Thibault Camus/AP

May 1 | Paris

Protesters walk through tear gas.

Thibault Camus/AP

Thibault Camus/AP

May 1 | Paris

A protester kicks a kiosk.

Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images

Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images

May 1 | Stuttgart, Germany

Police units and protesters clash during a May Day rally.

Christoph Schmidt/AP

Christoph Schmidt/AP

May 1 | Stuttgart, Germany

Police units clash with demonstrators.

Christoph Schmidt/AP

Christoph Schmidt/AP

May 1 | Seoul

Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions march.

Jintak Han/The Washington Post

Jintak Han/The Washington Post

May 1 | Lahore, Pakistan

A vehicle carrying former premier Imran Khan is surrounded by his supporters as he leads a rally to mark May Day.

K.M. Chaudary/AP

K.M. Chaudary/AP

May 1 | Jakarta, Indonesia

A worker holds up a smoke stick during a May Day rally.

Dita Alangkara/AP

Dita Alangkara/AP

May 1 | Jakarta, Indonesia

Workers shout slogans during a May Day rally.

Dita Alangkara/AP

Dita Alangkara/AP

May 1 | Oxford, Britain

Revelers attend May Day celebrations.

Dylan Martinez/Reuters

Dylan Martinez/Reuters

May 1 | Athens

Supporters of the communist-affiliated PAME trade union hold carnations during a rally commemorating May Day.

Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters

Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters

May 1 | Athens

Members of Greek labor unions protest during the May Day celebrations to mark the international day of workers, outside the Greek Parliament.

Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images

Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images

May 1 | Athens

A protester holds a flare during a May Day rally.

Michael Varaklas/AP

Michael Varaklas/AP

May 1 | Istanbul

Police officers detain a demonstrator as people protest to defy a ban and march on Taksim Square to celebrate May Day.

Kemal Aslan/Reuters

Kemal Aslan/Reuters

May 1 | Istanbul

Police officers detain a demonstrator.

Kemal Aslan/Reuters

Kemal Aslan/Reuters

May 1 | Istanbul

A man is detained as he marches with other union members.

Emrah Gurel/AP

Emrah Gurel/AP

May 1 | Baghdad

Iraqi security forces deploy near the gate of the Green Zone during a demonstration.

Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images

Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images

May 1 | Beirut

Supporters of the Lebanese Communist Party and members of the labor syndicate rally in Beirut.

-/AFP/Getty Images

-/AFP/Getty Images

More from The Post

Hundreds of thousands of French protest Macron reforms on May Day

May Day: World’s workers rally, France sees pension anger

The latest from The Washington Post

Credits

Photo editing and production by Troy Witcher