1 Mai : affrontements à Macao 澳門 et Hong-Kong 香港

Protestors clash with police

straitstimes.com

May 1, 2010

HONG KONG – RIOT police in Macau used water cannon and pepper spray in clashes on Saturday with May Day protestors who fought back with stones and bottles, reports said.

Hundreds of people were involved in the clashes, which erupted after protestors tried to force their way through police barricades to march along a main road where the gambling hub’s major tourist attractions are located, Hong Kong’s RTHK radio said. It said police and protestors were injured in the scuffles. Police then used water cannon and pepper spray to disperse the protestors.

Hong Kong’s TVB television showed protestors hurling objects, including a chair, at rows of police with riot shields.

Macao

RTHK reported that nearly 1,000 people turned out for the May Day march to demand job protection and tough action against illegal workers. They also demanded action against corruption and financial assistance to help offset inflation.

In neighbouring Hong Kong several thousand protestors marched through the streets to demand a minimum wage of HK$33 (S$5.82) per hour and better job protection. The march was organised by the Confederation of Trade Unions.

Confederation secretary general Lee Cheuk-yan said $33 an hour was the least workers could accept, as it gave a wage little more than a couple would receive on social security assistance. ‘So you can think it is only barely enough to feed two members of a family,’ he told RTHK. — AFP