From Cuba to Norway, Melbourne to Mexico City, there was more litter than broken glass on the streets of the world's capitals after a day of occasionally violent protests by anti-capitalists, trade unions and others swept the globe.
Hundreds were detained after skirmishes with police marred protests in Australia, Germany, Switzerland and Britain, while a rally in Havana lampooning US President Mr George W. Bush drew the highest unofficial attendance with millions hitting the streets.
Germany saw some of its worst May Day riots for a decade. Police fired teargas and water cannons at thousands of protesters in Berlinand Frankfurtafter being pelted with bottles and stones.
In Sydneyand Melbourne, stock exchanges were blocked by opponents of globalisation, and in London thousands of anti-capitalists blocked Oxford Street before a small group ran amok smashing windows of banks and high street stores.
The actions were inspired by violent street protests against the World Trade Organisation meeting in Seattle in 1999 and summits in Prague last year and Quebec City last month.