Millions Demonstrate Internationally on May Day 2002

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Millions Demonstrate Internationally on May Day 2002

Successful May Day Rally and Celebration Held in Jarrow

The Activities of the Metropolitan Police on May Day

New Discussion Paper Published

Public Meeting and Social Celebrating May Day!

Entering the Church of Nativity

Working people in their millions demonstrated around the world in defence of their rights and in defence of the rights of all on the occasion of May Day 2002, day of unity in struggle of the international working class.

Millions of people across Cuba participated in May Day actions, expressing their resolve to defend the gains of their revolution, to defend their sovereignty, dignity and independence. Cuban President Fidel Castro addressed more than one million people in Havana's Revolution Square, including 800 invited trade union representatives from 32 countries. The Cuban people denounced the unjust resolution passed against Cuba in the UN Human Rights Commission and the US manoeuvres to get the resolution passed. The march also honoured the island's youth for their leading role in Cuba's battle of ideas and demanded that the five Cuban political prisoners in the United States be released.

Militant actions were held across Europe. More than a million people demonstrated throughout France to oppose right-wing Jean-Marie Le Pen of the National Front. They shouted "N like Nazi, F like Fascist" and other slogans against Le Pen and his party. A demonstration in Zurich, Switzerland was attacked by police who used rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray against protesters. A demonstration in eastern Turkey was also attacked by police who used armoured vehicles to break it up. Demonstrations were also held in the Turkish capital Ankara and the country's biggest city Istanbul. They were held throughout Italy, including Rome, Milan and Turin to oppose the Berlusconi government's attacks on workers' rights. In Bologna, some 75,000 workers shouted the slogan: "For peace, employment, the defence of rights and against terrorism." May Day marches in Greece denounced Israel's incursion into the West Bank, burning an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon outside the US embassy in Athens. Actions were held in Berlin, Belgrade and Moscow.

May Day was also marked in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Workers' rallies in Iraq and Syria expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people and opposed US interference in the region. Thousands of workers rallied in Johannesburg, South Africa and in Abuja, Nigeria, as well as in Manila, Philippines and Seoul, south Korea, while more than 35,000 demonstrated in Tokyo, Japan. May Day in Hanoi, Vietnam was marked by celebrations on the anniversary of Vietnam's victory over the US war of aggression, while in China it is a national holiday. Newspapers in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ran editorials to mark May Day calling upon the Korean workers to give full play to their revolutionary spirit and extending militant greetings to workers around the world. Militant actions were also held in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and in cities across Australia.

May Day actions were also held throughout Central and South America to demand better wages and working conditions and to condemn US economic and political policy. In Mexico City, demonstrators raised enormous cardboard figures of a devil with the face of President Vicente Fox shaking hands with US President George W. Bush, who in turn held a leashed dog with the face of Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castaneda. Activists in El Salvador and Costa Rica voiced support for the Palestinian people and denounced neo-liberal globalisation, free trade and privatisation policies. People across Argentina demonstrated against the policies of the IMF which led to the country's economic crisis as well as its continued interference, demanding an independent economic policy. The Venezuelan workers and people came out in support of President Hugo Chavez. They denounced the US for its role in the failed coup of the Venezuelan oligarchy which the people were able to avert based on their principled stand in defence of their constitution.

May Day actions were held in various cities across the United States and Canada. In Los Angeles, more than 10,000 people participated in one of the largest May Day marches the city has ever seen. Drawn together by the ongoing attacks on immigrants, workers marched shoulder-to-shoulder with students, political activists and immigrant and workers' rights advocates. Militant actions were held across Canada, including in Montreal, Hull, Ottawa, Toronto, Mississauga, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

By North of England correspondent

A successful May Day Meeting and Celebration attended by around 80 people was held in, Jarrow, South Tyneside, on the Wednesday evening of May First. Chairperson Jimmy Perry opened the rally by welcoming people and introduced the speakers Janice Godrich, President of the Public and Commercial Services Union, and Keith Hodgson, UK co-ordinator of the joint TUC/UNISON project with the Palestinian trade unions.

Janice Godrich speaking about May Day said that "our collective forces are in effect a voice for the development of civilisation" and that "we are a force against the anarchy and the barbarism of capital". Janice Godrich said her union PCS represented workers in the public sector and she focused in her speech on all public sector workers. She said that we are engaged in a struggle to protect public services and that they are so vital for people. She said that it had been proven by so many examples that the transfer of public services to private hands has been corrupt, expensive and inefficient. She gave many examples of the consequences of privatisation on workers in the public sector and the accompanying loss of rights such as sick pay and other conditions which had drastic effects on workers lives. She said that it was the boardrooms of such companies that were applauding every time Tony Blair announces further investment in the public sector for private services. She went on to say that she thought that the ideological battle had been won against privatisation. The issue was to do something about it and she called for the TUC to organise a national demonstration in defence of public services. She said that on May Day we declare that an injury to one is an injury to all and we must build the support for a national show of defence. She gave some views on how the unions may want to re-consider how they spend their money and what candidates they support. She then concluded her speech to warm applause by saying that she was sure that the working class could mount a defence of their heritage and their rights on May Day and reaffirm these principles of the movement.

Jimmy Perry then introduced Keith Hodgson, who began his speech by saying that the attack on Palestine was one of the greatest war crimes. He declared that a nation, a people have been terrorised by one of the most sophisticated well-armed state machines that we have ever seen. He then said he was faced with a dilemma because how do you talk about something which is so horrific and how do you make sense of it.

The project he had been involved with was one which had been running for about four or five years and it was a joint project between the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, the TUC and Unison. He brought fraternal greetings to the meeting from the General Secretary of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, Shaher Saed. He said that it was only a few months ago that they sent out an appeal because of the Israeli incursions and the violence that was being conducted. He showed the meeting the letter that the PGFTU had circulated at that time and how it led immediately to a missile attack on the PGFTU offices in Nablus, a civil building that was constructed with help of international trade unions. He said the project has been about unifying the health trade unions.

He spoke movingly about a Palestinian colleague, a comrade and friend, Anan Qadri. She is Chairperson of the emergency relief committee in Nablus as well as working for the Ministry of Health. She has been the co-ordinator of the project that he has been involved in Palestine. He described her as the bravest women he had ever met, a woman who faced the bullets and tanks of the Israeli army whilst continuing to work as the administrator of the hospital and looking after her family in her home town of Nablus, one of the most beautiful Palestinian towns, which has been utterly destroyed around her. At 22 she had been involved in the first Intifada and shot by a high velocity bullet, arrested and imprisoned. Subsequently she started on the project and was very active in the trade union movement within Palestine.

He described the start of the second Intifada, which was caused by Ariel Sharon when he marched with an army into Al Aqsa Mosque, the second most significant religious place for Moslems in the world, in Jerusalem. Keith said that Ariel Sharon, who faces war crimes charges that have been lodged by the Belgian government, a man who has a long history of violence and oppressive attacks on the Palestinian people, did this as a deliberate act to destroy the peace process. He described the heroic acts of his comrade and friend in the face of the most disgusting brutality. In an ambulance she has been shot at twice in recent months. The speaker said that in Nablus at least 82 people have been killed and over 500 injured and many others who are missing and detained. Keith explained the criminal policy of the Israeli government that was deliberately killing people who they regard as leaders with intent of paralysing completely the Palestinian state. Keith Hodgson reported his fears that his friend had been killed but said that only as recently as the weekend had he got word that she was alive. People at the rally listened intently as he reported a message from her to the meeting:

"The Israelis decided to make a strategy that moves from economic and political oppression to a military repression. They wanted to make the losses so high that the Palestinians would lower their negotiating position and have lower expectations. Although we have suffered the most appalling loss and damage the spirit of the people is good. The people are so strong and committed to the leadership that they don't want us to be defeated."

Keith said that he knew nobody in his life that had touched him so much as this woman and her family. He had never met anyone who was as brave and courageous. She remained strong, as do the people she organises and represents. Keith concluded with the final point, that the Israelis are trying to destroy all the signs of civilised society and make the Palestinian state something that can no longer function. Every health, every education record has been destroyed and they have wreaked havoc on whatever institutions existed within Palestine. Keith went on to say that the Israeli government want to go further and destroy completely the Palestinian state, and he finished by relaying the policy of Unison to demand a boycott of Israeli goods and stop exporting arms. He called on people to write to their newspapers and expose these crimes and give financial support.

"All throughout the world the wheel is turning", Keith Hodgson concluded. "I think a million people on the streets in France, many thousands on the streets in Britain illustrate that there is an increasing wish to try and curtail what is happening in Israel and curtail what America is doing in backing and supporting the Israeli army machine."

Keith Hodgson's moving speech on the struggle of the brave Palestinian people was met with prolonged applause by the rally.

Roger Nettleship, Secretary of the South Tyneside May Day 2000 Committee, gave a message of thanks on behalf of the May Day Committee and participants and warmly thanked the two speakers for taking a stand with the working class and people of South Tyneside on this May Day and for being their conscience. In particular he mentioned Janice's exposure of the privatisation of public services which is being carried out in the name of investing in public services, and Keith's account of the brave stand of the Palestinian people and exposure of the state terrorism that is being stepped up against the people of the world in the name of fighting terrorism, and their stand of unity with the workers of all countries in declaring that there is an alternative and that another world is possible.

The rally was followed by a celidh performed by a traditional Irish group Cappaquinn & Friends and people stayed to participate in the May Day celebrations and discuss and engage with the speakers late into the evening.

By WDIE reporter

Police presence in Central London was very obvious as they waited in back streets in largely hired mini buses. Some police vans were stocked with riot gear – batons, shields, helmets and video equipment. The police were placed in twos and fours, 200 to 300 yards apart. Two helicopters hovered constantly above. The police were well prepared for assaults on the May Day demonstrators. Would they repeat their "pre-emptive attacks" of last year?

After the main demonstrations and the united march and rally to Trafalgar Square, in Wardour Street near the junction of Old Compton Street, a carnival-like protest was building up around 6:00 pm. A small number of police (not in riot gear) were observing from the other end of Wardour Street. By 7:00 pm, the protesters became musically noisy as they waved banners and danced. More people joined in and the crowd began to swell to about 400. The police in riot gear moved in quickly to block side roads and alleyways – they formed two rows with batons drawn. Their presence created a mini disturbance as the protesters could not march down Wardour Street towards Oxford Street, and other protesters from side streets could not join and were kept away. The main body of protesters remained stuck in Wardour Street and Old Compton Street. The protesters entertained themselves with loud music and dancing, while people looked on from the adjacent buildings.

The police in full riot gear moved in from the corner of Broadwick Street and Wardour Street, randomly charging into the then peaceful protesters, thus injuring some of them with their batons and shields and crushing them. Some were bleeding and let out, others were not. Each charge by police resulted in bottles and cans being thrown and chants of "peaceful protests" hurled at the police. One man was arrested, handcuffed while on the floor and taken away down an alleyway. Thus all the protesters were pushed round the corner into Old Compton Street where the police allowed a handful of them to leave. Those leaving were photographed and selectively searched and marched past lots of riot police and then left on the other end of Old Compton Street. By 10:00 pm it was over. The police in collaboration with the media have once again succeeded in creating the focus of "violence of the protesters". This is in line with the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act, which seeks to brand dissent with the label of "terrorism". But the unity in struggle of those demonstrating peacefully and celebrating in carnival style with the millions who rallied world-wide have given the lie to these attempts of the state.

By West Midlands correspondent

A new West Midlands publication entitled The Forum has been published, launched on Mayday, 2002. The paper carries the call "End Marginalisation!" and the slogan "There Must be Another Way!"

The participants in the organising of the publication intend to create an open discussion forum so that the people themselves can contribute views as to which way society must develop. The launch lead article goes on to say that there must be another way to the direction the present politicians are trying to run society.

"The status quo can and must be changed." The lead article states, "The globalisation agenda put forward by the big political parties only serves the rich. It is time for an alternative pro-social agenda. We intend to oppose the intentions of High Finance and global capitalism. We intend to expose the EU as the Europe of the big monopolies. We intend to oppose privatisation schemes. We will oppose war and talk about the rights of nations to self-determination free from the interference of big powers. Our alternatives will include increased investment in social programmes, withdrawal from the EU. We will talk about alternative, non-military production."

The paper carries a number of articles in its first edition such as on the future of MG Rover, pensioners, and teachers' demands. Other issues raised for discussion are student issues such as the question of science being put in the service of humanity and funding the NHS.

Posted by on the Internet by Ben Granby, Thursday, May 2, 2002

The Israelis didn't see it coming. Clearly, after the failure to get people inside on April 28, they must have assumed that the International Solidarity Movement did not pose a threat to their siege of the Church of Nativity. However this time, with a co-ordinated plan of movement and with contacts inside the Church, ten ISM members made it inside, along with a journalist for the LA Times while 13 working as decoys were arrested by the Israelis.

With small groups moving quickly and quietly to secure a surprise, the ISM broke into several small teams and surged into Nativity Square to the complete befuddlement of the Israeli soldiers guarding the area. While the main road has a large razor wire barrier erected, a smaller side alley remained completely unguarded. Too busy hiding behind overturned Palestinian cars, the Israeli soldiers and their nearby Merkava tank were not expecting their entire siege to be turned upside down from behind.

The plan originated on a piece of tagboard with a layout of Nativity Square. The group of about 20 debated back and forth as to which approach would be most successful, and who wished to participate in what. Those unable to risk arrest and possible deportation opted to follow, but hold back and observe the situation. Others volunteered to enter the church, and everyone else served as support. Filtering into Bethlehem, the teams established positions and moved ahead, requesting quiet from all the local Palestinians that passed by.

Coming from the old market, which remains in ruins from the Israeli onslaught that began a month ago, we found that several avenues of approach were more than open to us. The teams were split into potential decoy groups and one six-person set that was determined and prepared to enter the Church and remain within. As it was, however, the Israeli response was so slow that two separate groups made it inside before the Israelis could reach them.

The soldiers' only quick response was to brush away journalists who had followed the group into Nativity Square. Otherwise, a substantial number of ISM members were able to run ahead and enter through the main door of the Church before the few Israeli soldiers stationed across the Square could catch them. Those not wanting to enter the Church held back and were arrested by the Israeli soldiers. Carried along in the euphoria of the movement, an LA Times photographer also went inside.

The Israelis could do nothing but push back curious journalists. A single smoke grenade was dropped merely to cover the extraction of those ISM members arrested and taken to the Bethlehem Peace Centre for holding.

Even the foreign journalists were amazed. One turned and remarked, "This is like a dream."