Amsterdam – A little tear gas used to disperse crowds
Berlin – Water cannons, ditto
Sydney – Storming of the Stock Exchange repelled
London – It’s looking big this year. Well organised (on both sides), showers forecast. At the moment there are groups gathering at points all over the city while the cyclists ‘tour’ the centre. This evening will see the most confrontation.
Hoping casualties are minimal.
Dublin- a few people handing out the Socialist Worker and waving fists at McDonald’s employees. We cant even have a riot for all the right reasons. Last Sunday a group of drunk Celtic fans took to the street to celebrate beating Rangers 3-0, stopped traffic on our main toroughfare, the gardai were called out and a mini-stand off occurred, well, until the alcohol started to wear off at least…
Relatively quiet here in Melbourne. I’m not sure if they managed to shut down the stock exchange - it was still trading electronically IIRC. There were about 6000 people at lunchtime. My boyfriend’s father’s building was protested at - I think they went to lunch during the demonstration.
According to the newspapers, it was a peaceful protest with only minor incidents. From The Age:
I am having a mini-protest at my school. More of a socialism awareness day. I put up little posters on the doors here:
Youth For International Socialism Wishes You A Happy May Day
Got Marx?
I am also planning to bring down the American flag from the pole and raise a peace flag.
Here’s hoping I don’t get expelled…
MarxBoy
Well I’m looking out my office window at New Scotland Yard, and there’s bugger all happening on Victoria Street apart from a few extra police officers wandering about. I haven’t been up to Parliament Square to look yet, but then it’s raining out (again) and I don’t care enough to risk getting wet. Oh the bright side, we were allowed to come to work today in mufti.
I keep hoping the protesters will come by and kick in the window of the Starbucks next door. That’ll teach them to charge £2.50 for a crap cup of tea (made with a teabag, no less).
As ToF said not much happening over here.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2001/0501/breaking22.htm
'ello, 'ello, the enemy within ! Take a look at the traffic camera’s if you can – fings is slowly grinding to a halt, according to the teevee.
Sounds good, Marxboy but don’t do anything too stupid - being expelled isn’t good !
ToF and Yojimbo - Apparently, we have a lot of visitors in town. Perhaps some of the Irish activists have come to join in with the late night shopping.
I’m off for a wander…now where’d I put my trusty olde armour piecing umbrella…
Keep it peaceful, folks.
I should clarify – I’m looking at New Scotland Yard, not from NSY – my office is across the street from them. And there’s substantially less traffic out there than normal. Maybe it’s piled up elsewhere, but I think people are just keeping away.
I just want to say that I protest being sick with the flu on the first day of May. Not that I would have been demonstrating or anything, but I’m missing a nice picnic in the park. Instead I’m in bed, bored out of my mind and coughing like an entire TB ward. How’s that for unfair?
I hate being sick. 
Waiting for my son to get home (almost midnight here) and fill me in on what really happened in the Sydney CBD today - none of it looked pleasant.
Just hoping that didn’t change his mind about playing only a support role.
Well, some of the little kids got rowdy during the maypole dance…
Oh. Wrong May Day. Nothing in this tightassed state, I’m afraid.
Hell with bringing it out into the streets, I’m bringing it in here!
Well, maybe not. I can’t think of anything to say. Except “Remember the Haymarket Five”.
Tell you what, though. Let’s hear what Cecil has to say about today’s holiday.
Olent, ya beat me to it a bit.
I surmise we are all supposed to wear red and parade around…
Huh…May already! I had no idea, but I guess that explains my wearing a red shirt today. Odd that.
I was watching the constant coverage of the London protests (on Sky) for two hours while down the gym and really wishing I was there. And having no excuse not to be. Ack.
But the coverage was laughable - asking every second whether the trouble’s started yet and having to accept that there really isn’t any trouble yet apart from a few people having a go at the security gurard at MacDonalds in Euston. I expect they’ll be some nastiness later which is such a shame because that is so not what this is about at all. There was a brief interview with Naomi Klein though. Gotta love that woman.
Anyway, as i write it’s 4pm, scheduled kick-off time. Here’s hoping it all goes well.
Fran
Well, I’m taping up the placards I used in Quebec City again and trotting down to Lafontaine Park this afternoon for the local one. You know, being the big pinko that I am.
Last year’s was wicked good, a bunch of Pagan women had organized a maypole at the end of it.
What? I’m supposed to be protesting? Why doesn’t anybody tell me these things?
Here in Utah, the Mormons have replaced the word “heck” with “H-E-Double Toothpick”, drinking an ounce Coca Cola before purging, and have promised not to give birth before midnight.
Tomorrow, back to normal.
I was just discussing this with a coworker. I’ve been reading about the various events worldwide. Why is this something we Americans have not embraced? We certainly love to complain about rights and how they’re being taken away.
We decided that Americans work too much. No way we could take a day off to protest workers’ rights. Too much to do!!!
So really, why am I here at work instead of protesting down at City Hall…?