May Day Rallies Held Around the World

Posted May 1st, 2012 at 5:20 am (UTC-5)
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Tens of thousands of workers are taking to the streets in cities around the world to mark international Labor Day with marches and calls for better workers' rights.

In Asia, thousands gathered in the capital cities of Thailand, Bangladesh and Indonesia to mark May Day with a rallies organized by trade unions. The French news agency says the rally in Jakarta was the biggest on the continent.

In Russia, president-elect Vladimir Putin joined tens of thousands in a march through Moscow. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also attended the rally as marchers held huge banners supporting their labor unions and factories.

Thousands of Greek workers are expected to protest austerity cuts as part of May Day rallies in Athens Tuesday.

In the U.S., Occupy protesters are planning demonstrations in New York to blockade a major bridge and shut down some of Wall Street's financial houses.