Political parties, labour unions hold May Day rallies in Moscow

Moscow, May 1 (UNI) Russian Communist Party and its allies, including the banned radical National Bolshevik Party members, marched down to Teatralnaya square in central Moscow, near the bust of Karl Marx, chanting ''for free elections'' and ''for independence.'' Addressing the rally, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, who was just back from his trip to Latin America, conveyed greetings to participants from Cuba's Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

About 50,000 people had gathered on the square, Mr Zyuganov said.

Police mounted a large presence near the square, and participants had to walk through metal detectors to join the rally.

A total of 12 rallies were held in the Russian capital involving members and supporters of 14 parties, police said.

No untoward incident was reported in Moscow and St Petersburg, where opposition groups, including Yabloko and United Civil Front, also held demonstrations in the wake of a harsh police crackdown on their rallies last month.

RIA Novosti news agency reported that officially in Moscow 250 and in St Petersburg 170 people were arrested during the unsanctioned rallies, which demanded Russian President Vladimir Putin's resignation.

The pro-Kremlin United Russia party also held the rally in Moscow along with a trade union organisation, which demanded pensions be raised to at least 40 per cent from the current 5-15 per cent of earlier salaries by next year, a rise in minimal salaries to the subsistence level and other measures to curb poverty.

May Day in Russia is celebrated as Spring and Labour Day, a holiday once celebrated by pompous parades on Red Square, during the ex-Soviet Union.

UNI