May Day protesters want pandemic protections

Nurses plan to gather on the streets outside more than 130 U.S. hospitals on Friday to protest the lack of personal protective equipment available during the coronavirus pandemic. In several states, some essential workers plan to walk off their jobs or call in sick to decry the absence of sick leave, protective gear, and cleaning supplies. Groups opposing lockdown restrictions, including Freedom Angels and We Have Rights, scheduled demonstrations throughout California.

How are other nations marking May Day? Around the world, union members traditionally march on May 1 for workers’ rights. In Paris, residents sang from their balconies, calling for workplace masks and more government aid for the unemployed. Protesters in Greece stood 6 feet apart in Athens’ central square. Protests turned violent in Turkey, where police arrested demonstrators for defying the government lockdown.

Dig deeper: Read Emily Belz’s report on how the outbreak has hit people with developmental disabilities.