One of the nightmares of working on a daily newspaper is having to find news worthy of publication of a public holiday, especially in Spain because a public holiday usually entails no work the day before or the day after. As May Day falls into this category I have always covered the march from the Plaza España to the Paseo del Borne. It used to be a rather friendly affair and a sort of carnival type atmosphere. This year it was hijacked by a group of anarchists who marred the day of the worker with mindless violence. Already there have been complaints that the police over-reacted but there is no place for people wearing balaclava helmets and hurling missiles at these friendly marches. May 1 is the day of the worker, it is a day of peaceful protest. I was shocked and horrified at the photographs I saw from the May 1 March in Palma. The same can be said for the so-called parade in London. The only good point from the affair in London is that my admiration for the Metropolitan Police has grown even further. After seeing the mindless violence and destruction caused by these so-called protesters in capital cities across the world I feel that the Met should receive hearty congratulations. I think a headline in the Daily Mail rather summed up the May 1 incidents in London, the day the law fought back. I would say to these people who are hell-bent on wrecking a great occasion to stay away and only return when they are capable of peaceful protest. Clashing with police and destroying public property is no way to push for workers' rights.
Viewpoint
05/05/2001 00:00
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