Millions turn out for May Day

Worldwide participation in May Day rallies and celebrations totalled in the millions. Reports regarding the immigration rallies in the US seem to be lacking at this point. In any case, Russia lead the way with over 1.5 million people participating in rallies nationwide. Approximately 30,000 marchers in Moscow called for Putin to resign, recalling the Soviet Union and denouncing reforms as impoverishing the people.

In Germany tens of thousands of union members rallied in support of anti-globalization and resistance to neo-liberal policies that are erroding the social welfare net.

A nice article from Canada.com gives a summary of many world wide May Day events.

In my neck of the woods, I attended a rally in Ithaca, NY. The rally, which took place in the Ithaca Commons, drew 400 people. All were in good spirits and the diverse crowd in attendance included many immigrants and children of immigrants, students from Ithaca College and Cornell College, and several classes from local middle and elementary schools. Members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the International Socialist Organization were in attendance. I was the only representative of Socialist Alternative/CWI as far as I know.

Below are some pictures from the Ithaca rally.

Cornell University May Day Marchers

Ithaca College May Day Marchers

Father and Son

Speaker Tania Penafort of the
Movimiento Estudiantil
Chicano de Aztlan