Workers in several different countries took to the streets to march for the rights of labourers around the world
Demonstrators in Paris, France, destroyed shops and threw rocks at police who responded with tear gas
Protests in Istanbul, Turkey, took an ugly turn as demonstrators clashed with armoured riot police officers
Workers in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Cambodia, Russia and even England also held celebrations of the day
Riot police in Paris arrested more than 200 anti-capitalist demonstrators today as they went on the rampage to mark May Day.
Water cannon and tear gas were used against the protestors, many of whom were anarchists belonging to the Black Bloc movement.‘They have mainly targeted places of business, including branches of McDonalds and banks,’ said a Paris police spokesman.
French unions put the number of peaceful protesters at Tuesday’s main May Day rally at about 55,000, though police put it at just under 20,000 - a figure well down on previous years.