Protesters hold posters of communist figures as they march towards the Malacanang presidential palace during a May Day rally in Manila, Philippines on Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
People across Asia kicked off May Day with large marches and protests as many workers grapple with rising energy costs and shrinking purchasing power tied to the Iran war. Also known as International Workers’ Day or Labor Day, the holiday highlights the struggles and achievements of workers worldwide. Thousands are taking to the streets from Asia to Europe and beyond calling for stronger labor protections, higher wages and greater equality while drawing attention to stagnant incomes and the rising cost of living.
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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Protesters shout slogans as they are blocked while trying to march towards the U.S. Embassy during a May Day rally in Manila, Philippines on Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)Laborers hold flares during a May Day demonstration in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions stage a rally on May Day in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 1, 2026. The letters read “No War and Peace.” (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)Protesters push an effigy of, from left, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during a May Day rally in Manila, Philippines on Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)People march to mark International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, in Sydney, Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)Protesters shout slogans as they are blocked by police while trying to march towards the U.S. Embassy during a May Day rally in Manila, Philippines on Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)One of union members carefully steps through rain-formed puddles to participate in a May Day rally in the rain Friday, May 1, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)A laborer holds an Argentine flag during a May Day demonstration in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)Protesters march towards the Malacanang Presidential palace during a May Day rally in Manila, Philippines on Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)People march to mark International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, in Sydney, Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)Kiln workers take part in a demonstration to mark May Day in Hyderabad, Pakistan, Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Pervez Masih)Protesters burn an effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump during a May Day rally in Manila, Philippines on Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
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