May 1st: Just like Labor Day, except with water cannons
May 2, 2008
As you are probably aware, yesterday was May 1st, which is actually a federal holiday here in Germany. It's kind of like Labor Day, but mixed with a sizable dose of 'fight the man/power/system'. Berlin has a pretty long history of relatively wicked demonstrations (riots, burning cars and such) but seems to have achieved a state best described as 'mostly peaceful' due perhaps to the well organized music festival that now occurs on the first of May in the neighborhood (Kreuzberg) where the riots traditionally occurred. Hamburg, on the other hand, seems headed increasingly in the less-than peaceful direction. My Berlin home-away-from home is in Kreuzberg, so it was quite interesting to watch the streets transition from eerily quiet in the morning, to fairly friendly protests in the afternoon, to all out mayhem (complete with thousands of riot police) in the evening. You'll note (mom) that the photos of the riot police were taken while leaning out a window 4 stories up. Though, my retreat from the streets was more due to one of the white helmeted men running into me full force as they abruptly ran off en mass, presumably to fulfill their party-pooper role on an adjacent streets. The resulting crunch my body made ruined my partying spirit.
Anyway, here are a bunch more photos from yesterday.
Posted byKari at 12:56 PM
