On May 1st, workers and citizens in many countries around the world held demonstrations to "commemorate" International Workers' Day, demanding the creation of more jobs, higher minimum wages, and the protection of worker benefits.
According to U.S. media reports on May 2nd, on International Workers' Day, nearly 100,000 Hispanic immigrants in the United States held massive nationwide immigration marches in over 70 major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. They were protesting a law signed in Arizona on April 23rd aimed at strictly cracking down on illegal immigration, and demanding that the federal government take immediate action to effectively protect the rights of immigrants. Currently, Washington police have arrested 35 people who were demonstrating in front of the White House.
In Greece, tens of thousands of protesters gathered on the streets of Athens on the 1st to protest the government's implementation of stricter fiscal austerity policies, which may include tax increases and wage cuts, leading to clashes with the police. The demonstrations were organized by Greece's three major trade unions. During the rally, protesters clashed with police; protesters wielding wooden sticks "confronted" police officers holding shields in front of the Parliament building at Syntagma Square, while police frequently used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd. Two protesters sustained minor injuries, and police arrested over 20 demonstrators.
In addition, citizens in countries such as Indonesia, Japan, Turkey, the Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia, and Germany also held demonstrations demanding better treatment.
