Global May Day Protests Highlight Workers’ and Immigrants’ Rights
On 1 May 2025, widespread demonstrations took place across several nations — including France, Germany, Turkey, Japan, and the United States — as part of the annual International Workers’ Day observances. Protesters voiced demands for fair wages, gender equality, universal healthcare, and an end to ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
In Tokyo, Japan, demonstrators called for a range of urgent measures, including wage increases, gender parity, enhanced healthcare, disaster preparedness, a ceasefire in Gaza, and a halt to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to ABC News.
In the United States, over 1,000 rallies were reportedly organised by a coalition of trade unions, student associations, grassroots movements, and the 50501 campaign. Participants denounced the policies of the Trump administration and its affluent backers — notably Elon Musk — accusing them of undermining labour protections and targeting immigrant communities. These protests build upon a broader wave of demonstrations that have occurred throughout early 2025.
Meanwhile, in Istanbul, Turkey, hundreds of demonstrators were arrested as authorities sought to suppress the growing momentum of the May Day mobilisation.
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