By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
THE HAGUE/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Tens of thousands of people rallied across European cities Thursday to commemorate International Labor Day with demands ranging from higher pay, greater equality, and workers’ rights to more democracy, but riots marred the May 1 events.
In the Dutch city of The Hague’s coastal district of Scheveningen, at least hundreds of rioting youth, including many migrants and asylum seekers from mainly Muslim countries, reportedly attacked police trying to end the disturbances.
Stones and other objects were thrown at police, struggling to maintain order as tourists tried to escape the violent scenes. Muslim women were also among those running away from police, Worthy News observed.
“Perpetrators with asylum status must be expelled from the country immediately. We need to nip this in the bud right away, or else it will be a mess in Scheveningen all summer long,” said local legislator Richard de Mos of the local party Hart voor Den Haag or Heart for The Hague.
While order was restored by early Friday, concerns remain about more violence amid an ongoing debate about migration in the Netherlands.
Elsewhere in Europe, thousands participated in protests in Budapest, Hungary’s capital, to express concerns about limitations on freedom of assembly.
It followed a decision by Hungary’s ruling rightwing Fidesz party changes to the constitution that effectively ban rallies in support of the LGBTQ+ community, such as the annual Pride March.
OPPOSITION MEMBERS BANNED
This week, Hungary’s parliament voted to temporarily “banish” six opposition lawmakers from the building and cut their salaries after they used smoke flares during a protest in the chamber against a law banning Pride marches by LGBTQ+ communities.
It marked the first time lawmakers were barred from the chamber since Hungary’s transition to democracy in 1990, according to parliament’s press office.
Further away in France, more than 10,000 people rallied Thursday in Paris, the capital, where police scuffled with protesters in the capital on Thursday.
It happened during rallies here and across France, calling for “stronger protections” for workers, higher wages, and greater equality.
The demonstrations occurred against a backdrop of political instability in the country. A party deadlock and a historic parliamentary vote ousting the previous government in December left the nation without a functioning government for weeks.
Solidaridad, the workers’ union of the rightwing party VOX, and traditional workers unions staged parallel demonstrations in Madrid for Labor Day.
Solidaridad held the rally with party leader Santiago Abascal in Fuenlabrada, a working-class area of the Madrid region, to advocate for workers’ rights.
GREECE PROTESTS
There were more protests, including in Greece, where thousands of workers gathered in central Athens on Thursday to mark Labor Day.
Several workers and trade unions staged rallies outside the parliament building, waving flags and chanting anti-government slogans.
They recalled that International Labor Day, also known as May Day or International Workers’ Day, is an annual celebration that marks the struggles and achievements of workers and the labor movement worldwide.
It’s observed here and worldwide on May 1 as a public holiday in most countries
The holiday has its foundations in North America. In May 1886, a violent crackdown on protesters in Chicago- known as the Haymarket Affair – saw numerous deaths and injuries after a peaceful rally in support of workers striking for an eight-hour workday.
This led to the Second International in Paris calling for demonstrations to be held in its memory four years later, according to historical records. By the end of the 19th century, many European countries had taken inspiration, and May Day had become a global phenomenon.
Student Foteini Douli, who was attending a rally in Greece, said it was important to reflect and remember. “Of course, we are here to honor Labor Day, which, after many struggles and with great effort, we, workers, managed to achieve the eight-hour day, the working conditions, and the rest,” she told reporters.
She spoke on the day that anarchists were seen wearing helmets and tear gas masks, with at least one holding a smoke flare during a May Day rally in Athens, underscoring broader tensions in Europe.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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