WASHINGTON POST: Hundreds of Occupy protesters marched, chanted and scuffled with law enforcement officers in New York, San Francisco and cities around the world as part of a May Day “general strike” for economic equality Tuesday. May Day protests were underway in more than 125 cities in U.S., Europe and Australia on the spring day labor unions have typically celebrated as International Workers Day. This year, the Occupy Wall Street movement called for May 1 to be “A Day Without the 99 Percent” and urged students to skip school and employees not to go to work to show their support for the movement. Occupy Wall Street in D.C.:?After Saturday’s sweep of the Occupy D.C. encampment at McPherson Square, U.S. Park Police conduct a less contentious compliance check on protesters at Freedom Plaza, resulting in one arrest. In New York, protesters gathered in Bryant Park and later filled a block-long stretch of 42nd Street near Grand Central station, picketing in front of chain restaurants and chanting “Stand up, fight back!” as drums and a marching band added to the din. A handful of arrests were reported as protesters thronged the Williamsburg bridge. Dozens of labor unions and immigrants’ rights groups were expected to join with Occupiers for another large-scale march from Union Square to Wall Street later in the day. “This is our coming out. We’re calling it our spring awakening,” said Jackie DiSalvo, an English professor who is an organizer for Occupy Wall Street. MORE
WIKIPEDIA: International Workers’ Day (also known as May Day) is a celebration of the international labour movement and left-wing movements. It commonly sees organized street demonstrations and marches by working people and their labour unions throughout most of the world. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries. International Workers’ Day is the commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago, which occurred after an unknown person threw a dynamite bomb at police as they dispersed a public assembly during a general strike for the eight-hour workday. In response, the Chicago police fired on the workers killing dozens of demonstrators and several of their own officers.Right-wing governments have traditionally sought to repress the message behind International Workers’ Day, with fascist governments in Portugal, Italy, Germany and Spain abolishing the workers’ holiday, the official May 1st holiday in the US being Loyalty Day, and the Conservative party in the UK currently attempting to abolish the UK’s annual May Day Bank Holiday. MORE
LIVE UPDATES:
- 2:15pm: Thousands now marching from Bryant, stopping in Madison Square, then ending in Union Square for the solidarity march and concert! #OccupyGuitarmy live on http://www.ustream.tv/channel/occupymusician
- 2:10pm: At Wild Cat march, cops ram people with motorcycles. One falls off and hundreds of marchers run away from aggressive police. Two arrests, both bicyclists, at Lafayette and Spring.
- 2:03pm: March headed south down 5th towards Union Square. Stopping at Madison to grab Free University folks. Watch livestream at ustream.tv/OccupiedAir of Wildcat March, currently calmly marching through middle of street.
- 2pm: NYPD barricading Broadway in the Lower East Side. @allisonkilkenny: ¨Black bloc using police barricades to wall off cops¨
- 1:50pm: San Francisco march headed down Mission. Oakland anti-capitalist march still on-going. In Chicago, United Nurses, Teamsters, SEIU, and immigrant rights groups continue to gather at Union Park.
- 1:45pm: NYC Wildcat March at Forsyth and Broome evaded police, taking the streets in Chinatown. High school walk-out/speak-out live here. Another march is returning to Bryant Park, being shoved by riot cops. Bryant continues to fill with people, including the Guitarmy, unions, immigrants rights groups, and more.
- 1:35pm: In NYC, police attacked the Wildcat March on Houston St as it was beginning. Cops plunged into crowd. Many people shoved, tackled, at least 2 arrested. March just took off running through the park, jumping fences. In Oakland, march is on the move. 22nd & Telegraph Broadway (Oakland) have been shut down.
- 1:30pm: Tom Morello and the #Guitarmy tuning up for 2pm march! Large crowd is already in Bryant Park. The Wildcat March has also began. According to Twitter reports: Approx 100 bicyclists blocking traffic at intersections on Houston St & Chrystie St.
- 1:27pm: Oakland anti-capitalist march surrounding entrance to a Wells Fargo as riot police protect it. March converging on 22 & Telegraph (Oakland).
- 1:22pm: @OccupyWallStNYC: An amazing and spirited crowd here at Bryant Park! Come down. We march to Union Square at 2pm!
- 1:15pm: Police are attacking nonviolent anti-capitalist march in Oakland. Watch live. Cops in a dune-buggy like vehicle charged into the march, running into people and running over the foot of Iraq War veteran Scott Olsen (who was shot in the head last fall). Helicopters are overhead. Marchers are dancing in an intersection, chanting ¨this is a peaceful protest!¨ MORE
