The Red League carried out its activities for this year’s 1st of May with two priorities: firstly, militant participation in the trade union demonstrations, and secondly, working with the deepest and broadest masses in the proletarian neighborhoods, where the comrades continuously carry out their mass work, usually for the majority of the time.
The day began with flag-raising actions. This has become an established tradition. Nearly 1,000 flags were raised in nine cities: Bochum, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Essen, Freiburg, Hamburg, and Cologne.
During the day there was also participation in union demonstrations in six cities and four rallies of the Red League’s in the aforementioned working-class districts. Furthermore, in other cities such as Berlin and Leipzig, activists and sympathizers participated in actions and demonstrations, distributing newspapers and leaflets.
In Bremen, comrades participated in the DGB union demonstration and continued the tradition of a rally in the working-class district of Tenever, which was established last year.
In Düsseldorf, activists from the Red League participated in the union demonstration with their own expression, alongside with comrades from “ROSA.” The slogan of the Red Women’s Movement, “Single mother, part-time, starvation wages – women fight for the revolution”, was present and loudly proclaimed by the comrades. Furthermore, slogans of international solidarity and support for the struggle of the Palestinian people dominated the anti-imperialist part of the demonstration.
In Essen, the Red League participated in both the union demonstration and the anti-fascist protests against the Nazis of “Die Heimat” (formerly NPD). In the afternoon, the Red League organized an anti-imperialist rally in the working-class neighborhood of Altendorf. Many people, especially from the district itself, participated, coming together to exchange ideas, listen to speeches, and dance together. The square was decorated with numerous banners and flags. Neighbors carried signs with the slogan of the International Anti-Imperialist League: “Anti-imperialists of the world, unite!”
In Freiburg, a contingent of the Red League again participated in the 1st of May union demonstration this year. The activists distributed a large number of leaflets containing the Red League’s declaration, which were received with great interest.
With a militant contingent, the Red League made a powerful statement at the trade union demonstration in Hamburg. In the afternoon, the Red League organized a rally in the working-class district of Mümmelmannsberg, where, among other things, the shifting of the costs of the crisis onto the working class was denounced.
In Cologne, activists participated in the union demonstration in coordination with various sections of the Turkish workers movement in Germany. Additionally, activists took part in the “Revolutionary May Day Demonstration” in Cologne-Kalk, which this year drew more than 3,500 participants and, as in previous years, was attacked by the police on several occasions. The demonstration was defended jointly and resolutely, and the police were partially pushed back. A message broadcast from a speaker-truck greeted the combating Maoists of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the People’s War in India.
In addition, a rally organized by the Red League was organized at the central square of the Görlinger-Zentrum neighborhood in Cologne, where residents have been organizing for months to protest the harassment by the municipal housing authority.
