Chaos erupted on the streets of Paris as a May Day workers' march saw riots
break-out in protest against Marine Le Pen.
Fighting broke out in central Paris during a rally held close to the Place de la
Bastille, where protestors shouted ‘Fascists out!’.
They were furious that Ms Le Pen, 48, has got through to the second round of
the election to choose a new head of state.
Six French police officers were injured by Molotov cocktails with one badly hurt
by a firebomb that exploded on top of his helmet which resulted in flames
 engulfing his entire body.
A police source said: "Around one hundred hooded protestors got as close as
 they could to police lines, and then one or two threw Molotov Cocktails.
"One officer suffered serious burns to the face just after 3pm. He was rushed to
 hospital. He is in a bad way, but his condition is not life threatening. Another
 officer suffered serious hand wounds, while others were less badly hurt. There
were five arrests in all."
Ms Le Pen will go head-to-head against independent favourite Emmanuel
 Macron, 39, on Sunday.
"She represents racism and hatred, that’s why we’re opposing her," said one
 left-wing activist Nicole, aged 22.

One police officer is completely surrounded by flames as the violence escalated 
Police officers themselves were engulfed in flames during the riots 
Around 9,000 police officer were drafted in to control the crowds at the march 

"Thousands of us have come out on the street to stand up for justice and decency,
and to show our shame at these fascists hoping to take over," she added.
As Nicole smoke police took part in running battles with riot police, who used tear
 gas and baton charges to try and restrain the crowds.
More than 9,000 police, gendarmes and soldiers were on duty to try and prevent
 trouble on what is traditionally a day of protest across France.
Today Ms Le Pen addressed National Front (FN) supporters at the Exhibitions
 Park at Villepinte, north-east of Paris, calling on ‘nationalist France’ to rise up.
Earlier her father, Jean-Le Pen, the convicted racist and anti-Semite Jean-Marie
Le Pen, had laid a wreath of Joan of Arc in Paris.

People hold banners as they march among fumes of smoke bombs during clashes 
A trolley erupts into a ball of flames amongst riots on the streets 
Tear gas was used to control the rioters as officers battled flames in the street 

Mr Le Pen, who remains the honorary president of the FN and who is funding his
 daughter’s election campaign with a loan worth more than £6m, told supporters
 to vote in their masses.
He was a frequent presidential candidate, and came second to the conservative
 Jacques Chirac in 1995.
Mr Macron meanwhile taunted his far-right rivals by visiting the spot where her FN supporters murdered a Moroccan immigrant.

Mr Macron paid a moving tribute at the Carousel Bridge, in central Paris, where
 Brahim Bouarram was killed by neo-Nazis attached to the party exactly
 22 years ago today.
At the time Ms Le Pen was an up-and-coming FN politician, having unsuccessfully
 stood for a parliamentary seat in the French capital.

Riots broke out as election candidate Marine Le Pen held a rally 
Tear gas floats around French CRS riot police during clashes at the traditional
 May Day labour union march in Paris 
Thousands marched in the traditional May Day labour union march 

The four men involved in Bouarram’s killing were all in the same FN cortege as Ms Le Pen and her father as they paid homage to Joan of Arc on May Day 1995.

Referring to the Bouarram tribute, a member of Mr Macron’s En Marche! (On the
 Move!) political movement said: "Emmanuel Macron was determined to honour
 Brahim and in turn to show what the FN is all about."
Bouarram, a married father-of-two, was first of all attacked by the FN supporters,
who chanted racist slogs, before throwing him into the River Seine, where he was
 left to drown.
His murder – for which four attackers were eventually convicted – caused
shockwaves in the middle of the 1995 presidential election, which was contested
 by Mr Le Pen.
Francois Mitterand, the then Socialist head of state, stopped campaigning between
 the two rounds as 12000 people gathered on the bridge to pay tribute to Bouarram.

A rioter surrounded by tear gas 
Balloons of French Trade Union CGT float over the traditional May Day labour union 
The annual march descended into chaos 
A masked demonstrator protects himself from tear gas during clashes at the
 traditional May Day labour union march 

Ms Le Pen, who came second in this year’s first round, has been desperately
 trying to distance the FN from its xenophobic image.
Last week she stood down as leader of the party, saying she wanted to become
 France’s first female president as a candidate of the whole country.
But Mr Macron has constantly been reminding people of the FN’s roots, including
 Ms Le Pen’s personal links with neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers.

A masked demonstrator protects himself from tear gas as French CRS riot police 
secure an area during clashes at the traditional May Day labour union 
Firefighters cover their faces as they approach a street fire 
A protester holds a flag and smock bomb as he leads a march during the protests 

Earlier this month, Ms Le Pen caused outrage by claiming that the French were
 not responsible for the round-up of Paris Jews during the Second World War.
She is currently trailing in opinion polls, which suggest that the independent
 Mr Macron will win Sunday’s poll by as much as 60 per cent.

Other May Day marches and protests breaking 

out across the world

Venezuela
As the streets in the French capital erupted into scenes of violence, other
protests across the world brought chaos to annual May Day marches.
In Venezuela, the capital Caracas also saw violence break out as opposition
protesters wore masks while rioting in the street.
Security forces in riot vans blocked off central Caracas as the country braced
 for pro and anti-government May Day protests one month after a wave of
deadly political unrest erupted.
Last month violent protests erupted across the country following a Supreme
Court decision to strip the legislative branch of its powers.
Video thumbnail, May Day rally in Venezuela
CLICK TO PLAY
WATCH NEXTProtesters and police clash in Paris May Day demo
MAY DAY RALLY IN VENEZUELA

A masked opposition activist in Caracas 
A woman receives attention during the Caracas riots 

Manila
Manila, in the Philappines also saw thousands take to the street.
The Filipino workers and trade unions marked international labor day with a
 protest march towards the presidential palace.
Workers are calling for better wages and an end to contractualization.

Filipino workers and trade unions marched towards the presidential palace during the May Day protests 


Workers are calling for an increase in wages 

London
In London members of the Communist Party of Great Britain marched against
 cuts to services and anti-trade union laws.
The march was supported by several trade unions, including UNITE, ASLEF,
 PCS, TSSA, RBU AND UNISON.
Various organisations representing migrant workers in the UK also marched
 from Clerkenwell towards Trafalgar Square holding party flags and chanting
 their support.
Video thumbnail, UK leftists march in London to mark May Day
CLICK TO PLAY
WATCH NEXTProtesters and police clash in Paris May Day demo
UK LEFTISTS MARCH IN LONDON TO MARK MAY DAY

The London May Day marched ended in Tafalgar Square as members of the communist party protested against economic cuts 

Spain
In Spain, the country’s two major unions called for marches in more than 70 cities.
Under the slogan ‘No More Excuses’, they demanded an increase in wages and
 pensions as fires erupted across main roads and thick smoke engulfed cities.
The UGT and CC.OO unions also demanded that Spain's conservative
 government roll back its labour reforms that have made it easier to fire workers.

Thick smoke engulfed parts of Gijon in Spain 
Officers battled against flames as fires erupted in the streets 
Two major Spanish trade unions called for marches in 70 cities across the country 

CC.OO general secretary Ignacio Fernandez Toxo spoke at a march of
 thousands of people in Madrid.
He said: "Spain has been growing for two years and now it is time for the
economy to align itself with the needs of the people."
Thousands more marched in Barcelona, Seville and Valencia.
Berlin
In Berlin, demonstrators used smoke grenades in a protest in the district of
 Kreuzberg.
Revellers and rioters were celebrating the MyFest street party when the
chaotic scenes broke out.
Crowds were engulfed as smoke bombs were let off.
Many rioters wore masks to cover their faces as they demonstrated against
 the establishment.

One rioter at the Berlin demos gestures towards the camera 


Smoke bombs were released as riots erupted on the streets of Berlin 


German riot police stand guard at the Berlin demonstration 

Thousands of police were deployed to the streets of various European cities
 as violence escalated.
The May Day workers march saw chaos in cities such as London, Berlin and
Gijon as trade unions and opposition activists took to the streets.
In Paris, as astonishing 9,000 police officers were drafted in to help control
the crowds, with many receiving injuries from firebombs and missiles thrown
in the carnage.