May Day protests: Hundreds arrested across Europe as demonstrations turn violent

Mass rallies, strikes and violence in towns and cities from Sweden to Turkey

Tear gas thrown at May Day rally in Paris

Hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested across Europe as May Day protests turned violent.

European capitals from Paris to Moscow and Copenhagen to Athens saw mass rallies, strikes and violence on the streets.

French police clashed with stone-throwing protesters who set fires and smashed up vehicles as thousands of people gathered for May Day rallies under tight security.

Neo-nazis scuffled with police in Sweden while in Greece a mass-walkout crippled public transport.

The global day of action saw people take to the streets in dozens of Asian and African capitals, with cities in North and South America also braced for disruption later on Wednesday.

A union rally in London was carried off peacefully and police there said they were not expecting significant demonstrations or violence.

Follow all the action and reaction in our liveblog below.

Key Points

• Thousands of police deployed in Paris 
• Greek public transport crippled 
• Berlin braced for disruption
• Activists in Russia arrested
• Rallies also taking place in dozens of Asian cities

[1 May 2019 11:35 · Tom Batchelor]

In Turkey, police have detained demonstrators who tried to march toward Istanbul's symbolic main square in defiance of a ban. 

Turkey declared Taksim Square off-limits to May Day celebrations citing security concerns. Roads leading to the square have been blocked and police are allowing only small groups of union representatives to lay wreaths at a monument. 

But groups chanting "May Day is Taksim and it cannot be banned" attempted to break the blockade. The official Anadolu news agency said more than two dozen were detained. 

Trade unions and political parties will mark the day with rallies at government-designated areas in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara. 

Taksim holds symbolic value for Turkey's labor movement. In 1977, 34 people were killed there during a May Day event when shots were fired into the crowd from a nearby building. 

[1 May 2019 11:50 · Tom Batchelor]

Greece has been left without national rail, island ferry and other transport services for a day as unions hold strikes and rallies to celebrate May Day. 

Hundreds of people gathered in central Athens for three separate rallies and marches to parliament organised by rival unions and left-wing groups. 

The Greek capital was left without public bus, trolley bus and urban rail services all day due to a 24-hour transport union strike, although the city's metro trains are mostly running. 

The national train and island ferry services are set to resume on Thursday. 

[1 May 2019 11:53 · Tom Batchelor]

Former Greek Finance Minister and leader of MeRA25 party Yanis Varoufakis and his wife Danae Stratou take part in a rally commemorating May Day in Athens 

[1 May 2019 12:09 · Tom Batchelor]

An opposition party in South Africa is using May Day to rally voters a week before the country's national election. 

Economic Freedom Fighters members, wearing their signature red tops and berets, gathered at a stadium in Johannesburg to cheer in support of populist stances that have put pressure on the ruling African National Congress to address issues like economic inequality and land reform. 

[1 May 2019 12:20 · Tom Batchelor]

Our Middle East correspondent Richard Hall has spoken to Lebanon's new labour minister on this International Workers’ Day about a sponsorship system which ties the legal residency of migrant domestic workers to their employers. It has been likened to 'modern day slavery' – but can he stop the abuse?

[1 May 2019 12:33 · Tom Batchelor]

Police have clashed with protesters in Paris. 

Video shows demonstrators, some wearing yellow vests, in scuffles with officers, who appeared to charge the crowd. Loud bangs could be heard and smoke - possibly tear gas - filled the air. 

[1 May 2019 12:52 · Tom Batchelor]

VIDEO: Tear gas thrown at May Day rally in Paris

[1 May 2019 13:10 · Tom Batchelor]

Around 165 protesters have been arrested in Paris – some of them throwing stones, lighting fires and smashing vehicles, police said. 

Police repeatedly used tear gas to try to control the crowd gathering near Montparnasse train station for the main protest. It wasn't immediately clear how many people were injured.

One bandaged-up man with a head wound was helped away from the scene by paramedics. 

[1 May 2019 13:36 · Tom Batchelor]

US cities waking up this morning are also bracing for protests, including in Seattle where this Starbucks has been boarded up in anticipation of violence:

[1 May 2019 13:59 · Tom Batchelor]

Unions in Spain have used the May Day marches to call on the Socialist Party, which is likely to head the government after Sunday's election, for pension rises and a roll-back of tough labour legislation.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who won 123 seats in the 350-seat parliament, must fix labour market reforms imposed by a conservative government from 2012, union leaders told people celebrating International Worker's Day.

"The result of the election has given us the opportunity to face what the unions believe is a political priority; the fight against inequality," Unai Sordo, the head of Spain's largest union, CCOO, said as thousands prepared to march through the centre of Madrid and other towns and cities across the country.