2013 May Day protests
The 2013 May Day protests were held around the world on May 1, 2013. They involved hundreds of thousands of people who spoke out against the global economic crisis, austerity measures, and poor working conditions.
In Bangladesh, thousands of garment workers protested after the Savar building collapse. In Phnom Penh, about 5,000 garment workers marched for better conditions and higher wages. In Indonesia, more than 120,000 people from Jakarta and nearby cities gathered at Hotel Indonesia and marched to Merdeka Palace, disrupting business in the capital.
In Singapore, about 6,000 people gathered at Hong Lim Park to protest immigration policy and the high cost of living. In the Philippines, about 8,000 people marched in Manila. In Istanbul, police clashed with protesters as they tried to reach Taksim Square, and about 20 people were arrested.
In London, central protests were relatively small and quieter than in previous years, and the overall coverage from mainstream media was limited. In Greece, people demonstrated in Athens and Thessaloniki. The communist party in Greece, PAME, organized a large strike in Syntagma Square, while the GSEE union and the public sector union ADEDY held a rally at Kafthmonos Square. The Athens march was supported by a Bangladeshi workers’ representative and by Gilda Chacov Bravo, a Cuban member of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).
Protests also took place in Spain, with demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona. In Barcelona, protesters clashed with police, smashing windows and destroying bus stops, telephone boxes and trash bins. In the United States, protests were held in Seattle, Los Angeles, Manhattan and Chicago.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 04:50 (CET).