may day

What springs to mind when you hear May Day? In the U.S. and abroad, the day has grown to encompass a spectrum of meanings. But the themes have remained the same: worker unity, suppression and rebirth.

Demonstrators in France rallied against the government's proposed change to unemployment benefits, while police and protesters clashed in Germany and Turkey.

Video of Emmanuel Macron's top security aide beating demonstrators has sparked controversy. The incident occurred during May Day protests over reforms to France's labor laws.

A peaceful rally aimed at protesting French President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular public sector reforms was quickly hijacked by black-clad anarchists, who tossed petrol bombs at police.

"Various fires were set in the street and in garbage cans, a police car was spray-painted and vandalized, and there were attempts to set at least one business on fire," police say.

Garment workers in Bangladesh demand wage increases; unions in Greece critique austerity; left-wing parties in Poland highlight civic rights; advocates in the U.S. celebrate immigrants.

Nicolas Maduro announced the wage hike — Venezuela's third this year — during an address Sunday. The move appears intended to quell protests that have engulfed the country for over a month.