May Day clashes in US west coast

1^st may every year is celebrated as May Day, which began as an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival. This date is also commemorated as the international Labor Day. Celebrated by organizing street demonstrations and marches, it aims to draw attention to worker’s rights and immigration issues.

However, this year, in US West Coast cities, May Day March turned violent when crowds hurled bottles and wrenches at officers who responded with pepper spray and flash grenades.  Within a short span of time, the peaceful march became a scene of riot. Many people were arrested in the clashes and 3 officers even got hurt.

The situation was no better in Oakland where more than 100 windows of business houses, restaurants and banks along the route of the march were smashed. Several people were taken into custody overnight and many vehicles were damaged with one getting burnt.

In Portland too, demonstrators threw objects at officials and tried to force their way to the bridge. The officials in order to control them used pepper sprays and stun grenades, but in this process many officials themselves suffered injuries because of the objects being thrown at them.

In contrast to the violence in Seattle and other places, there were peaceful and celebratory demonstrations in Baltimore, after prosecutors brought charges against all the 6 officers who were involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray, the 25 year old man who died of spinal injuries suffered in police custody last month. People were dancing on top of cars as reported. But on Monday, city was rocked by looting and clashes.

It is a sad thing that a peaceful march for the welfare of the laborers turned so violent leading to so much destruction and distress among the people. Time and again, it has been proved that violence serves no purpose, yet we all resort to it, so humankind suffers. Let’s hope that such incidences do not happen again.

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