International Workers' Day: Europe marks May Day as Paris march turns violent

International Workers' Day: Europe marks May Day as Paris march turns violent
Copyright REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer
By Bryan Carter, Fay Doulgkeri, Giorgia Orlandi and Jack Parrock
Share this articleComments
Share this articleClose Button
Copy/paste the article video embed link below:Copy to clipboardCopied

The violence in Paris may have grabbed the May Day headlines, but many demonstrations were going off peacefully elsewhere.

ADVERTISEMENT

The violence in Paris may have grabbed the May Day headlines, but many demonstrations passed off peacefully elsewhere in Europe.

Our reporters sent us video footage from across the continent as workers marched for better jobs and social reforms.

“This is a special day for labour across the world,” said former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, who spoke to Euronews at a march in Athens. Varoufakis is running as part of a German party in the upcoming European elections.

“After 2008, we've had a complete collapse of financial capitalism and labour has paid the price for it, and the world is facing a very serious crisis.”

In Sofia, Bulgaria, workers played music as they protested for a higher minimum wage. Bulgaria currently has the lowest minimum wage in Europe: €286 per month.

Workers in Rome celebrated May Day differently, attending an open-air music concert in Piazza S. Giovanni, organised annually by Italy’s trade unions.

But the themes of the day were similar.

In Rome, Costanza, a student interviewed by Euronews, said she wanted a “job and future.”

Euronews correspondents Fay Doulgkeri in Athens, Bryan Carter in Sofia, Giorgia Orlandi in Rome, and Jack Parrock in Brussels reported.

Share this articleComments

You might also like

Violence erupts at Paris May Day march as protesters clash with police

Pro-West diplomat to face left-winger for Slovakia presidency

Farmers protest in Madrid despite EU concessions