May Day: Germany

BERLIN — Nearly 35,000 workers and youth marched in May Day demonstrations throughout Germany, the largest being in Berlin with other marches in Nuremberg, Hamburg, Leipzig, and Kiel. Meanwhile, anti-racists stopped or routed neo-Nazis in Neumuenster, Neubrandenberg and Wittstock. 

Over 25,000 celebrated May Day in Berlin, marching through the city’s political center under the slogan, “Pressure is rising for social revolution.” They were viciously attacked by a mass of cops with riot clubs and tear gas. Many were injured and arrested. Left-wing and anti-fascist groups organized the march which included several Kurdish and trade union youth organizations. They declared that the march was “a clear demonstration to the rulers that people will not put up with Capital’s attacks on people’s living standards anymore.”

In Hamburg, 1,400 marched under the motto, “No alternative to revolution!” When 1,000 cops, included mounted police, attacked the marchers with clubs and pepper gas, the cops were hit with stones, bottles and firecrackers.

In Kiel, speakers urged the destruction of crisis-generating capitalism and denounced the racist European Union refugee policy.

Nazis Routed

In Neumuenster, direct action by 2,000 anti-fascists — organized under the slogan, “They shall not pass!” — halted an attempted Nazi demonstration. The fascists were stoned at the south train station, forcing them to call off their rally.

In Wittstock, 500 May Day marchers prevented 170 neo-Nazis from marching. In a three-hour action, the anti-fascists blocked the streets and the Nazis gave up after marching barely 200 yards.

In Neubrandenberg, when 1,000 cops using riot clubs and pepper gas cleared the way for 300 neo-Nazis, hundreds blocked the streets, forcing the Nazis to circle back to the train station and end any march.