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Soviet era returns to Russia's May Day rallies, but not the Communists
May 1, 2003
AFP

Tens of thousands of people took part in nationwide May Day rallies in Russia, but the authorities hijacked what in recent years has been a major day of protest for the Communist opposition.

In the capital Moscow, despite warm and sunny spring weather, only 15,000 mainly elderly Communist sympathizers turned out for the traditional May Day parade past Red Square, waving red flags and demanding the resignation of President Vladimir Putin's government.

Organizers had hoped to attract 50,000 people, and bused in supporters from across the country, but their march was overshadowed by a larger official rally attended by 25,000 people held by the Moscow city authorities.

The first marches were held in the Russian far east, with 40,000 people involved in demonstrations in the Pacific region of Primorye, with the biggest event in the major Pacific port city of Vladivostok.

In a throwback to Soviet-era organised rallies, governor Sergei Darkin led the march through the centre of Vladivostok, which was attended by factory workers, railway employees, teachers, doctors and students.

One of the doctors present complained to AFP that the participants, all employed by the regional administration, "were sent on the march, like in Soviet times. They told us if we don't attend, they'll take away our bonuses."

Some of the marchers held banners proclaiming "I love (President Vladimir) Putin" and "I love Darkin."

The governor told the gathering that the rally "has no political undertones. We are just expressing our support for reforms in the country." Afterwards, there were concerts and competitions in the central city square.

The Communists in Vladivostok staged a separate rally opposite the railway station near a monument to Lenin, attended by just 350 people.

In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, capital of the island of Sakhalin, some 6,000 people attended a festive rally in the city's central square.

"Sakhalin and the Kuriles are now rapidly developing: the oil and gas industry is being fully overhauled. Transport infrastructure is under reconstruction, and a more active social policy has been launched," governor Igor Farkhutdinov told those assembled, ITAR-TASS reported.

In the Siberian city of Ulan-Ude, the white-blue flags of the centrist pro-government United Russia bloc outnumbered the red flags of the Communist Party in the city's main square, where 3,000 people gathered.

Traditionally a rallying point for the fading Communist opposition since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, May Day is now mainly a chance for Russians to take a few days' vacation. Both May 1 and 2 are public holidays.

The Communist march in Moscow wound its way down a major city thoroughfare across the river Moskva and past the Kremlin to Lubyanka square, where the former KGB headquarters is located.

Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov called on the party faithful to mobilise for the legislative elections in December, in which centrist pro-Kremlin parties are expected to win a comfortable majority of seats.

"We have a government of oligarchs and not a government of the people. Russia lags behind major powers, it cannot defend the people's interests. Our country is becoming a banana republic," he said.

One of the organisers climbed onto a truck and belted out a Stalin-era song praising the former Soviet dictator.

In Russia's second city, Saint Petersburg, the Communists gathered 4,000 people, about the same number that attended an official trade union rally.

May Day, until recently officially termed International Workers' Solidarity Day, was a major state holiday in the Soviet Union and other Communist countries. It is now known as Spring and Labour Day.

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