May Revolution
The mutiny of Aranjuez in 1808 led King Charles IV of Spain to abdicate in favor of his son, Ferdinand VII. Charles IV requested that Napoleon restore him to the throne; instead, Napoleon crowned his own brother, Joseph Bonaparte, as the new Spanish King. These events are known as the Abdications of Bayonne. Joseph's coronation was met with severe resistance in Spain, which started the Peninsular War, and the Supreme Central Junta took power in the name of the absent king. This also led to Spain switching allegiances from France to Britain. France eventually invaded Sevilla, and a Council of Regency based in Cadiz replaced the disbanded Supreme Central Junta.
2012 May Day protests
The first May Day protests originated in several countries throughout Europe including Stockholm, Madrid, London, Brussels, and Geneva in 1890. While the demand for an 8-hour workday was the primary concern that protesters were protesting for, other demands included improved working conditions, universal suffrage, peace among nations, and international solidarity. While it originally started as a labor movement in protest for improved wages and working conditions, protesters - who are primarily from working class backgrounds - now demonstrate for celebratory purposes and tradition while many others do it to create change.