Labor and Solidarity Day was marked with tension over a government-imposed ban on May 1 demonstrations in Taksim Square in central Istanbul and the detentions of hundreds of demonstrations in the city, while May 1 celebrations passed relatively peacefully in other provinces across Turkey.
Authorities took drastic security measures in central İstanbul neighborhoods, with thousands of police barricades and officers on the streets that lead to Taksim Square to prevent the entry of demonstrators. A large number of police officers from other provinces were flown into İstanbul as reinforcement.
Several unions, backed by opposition lawmakers, vowed to defy the ban on demonstrations. Union members and other demonstrators began to gather in neighboring Beşiktaş to march to Taksim. Other unions, including the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (Türk-İş), agreed to hold May Day celebrations in other venues and sent representatives to Taksim Square after receiving permission from the authorities. Türk-İş announced that the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, known for its coal mines, would be the center of its May Day celebrations this year.
In Taksim, police intervened when a group of protesters managed to reach the square despite a police blockade. Several demonstrators were detained.
Five people were also detained in the central İstanbul neighborhood of Okmeydanı after police found marbles and gas masks on them. News reports said the detainees were stopped and searched by the police, who have the power under a recently passed controversial internal security law to search people when there is “reasonable doubt.”
A group of people trying to enter Taksim Square were also detained by police at Kurtuluş Street.
Tension high in Beşiktaş
Tension was particularly high in the Beşiktaş neighborhood of İstanbul. A large number of people were detained in the neighborhood. There were allegations that the police were harassing some protesters in Beşiktaş, and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Aykut Erdoğdu attempted to approach a police vehicle over the allegations, but he injured his hand when he hit the window of the vehicle when the police refused to open it, CNNTürk reported on Friday.
Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse a large group of demonstrators that included representatives of labor unions and lawmakers from the opposition CHP and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in the Beşiktaş neighborhood. The police intervention came after hours-long negotiations between the police and the group, who were seeking to march to Taksim Square.
A large number of people were reportedly detained. Police officers were reportedly heard saying, “Make more detentions.” HDP İstanbul deputy candidate Salih Şahin was among those detained in Beşiktaş. HDP deputies Pervin Buldan and Sebahat Tuncel were also affected by tear gas fired by police in the area, Hürriyet reports.
Meanwhile, a demonstrator was stabbed in the abdomen by a parking lot employee during the protest in Beşiktaş. A member of the United June Movement was also wounded during the police intervention in Beşiktaş. The protester's arm was broken, Turkish media reported.
CHP İstanbul provincial head Murat Karayalçın was also among the main opposition party members who went to Beşiktaş Square to mark May Day. Releasing a press statement, he said that public holidays are not marked via orders, restrictions and decrees. “We as the CHP are rejecting the impositions of the government. We will not mark this celebration [May Day] in the same way as the government wants us to do. We will mark this holiday at Taksim Square on May 1, if the CHP comes to power [in the upcoming June 7 elections].”
Pointing to the police interventions in the crowds marking May Day in various parts of İstanbul, Karayalçın said they do not have any problem with the security forces as they just perform the orders from the government, adding that “we will struggle with the government. Our struggle will be at ballot boxes on June 7. We will take down this government and we will mark the next May Days in Taksim.”
A group of people holding sticks attacked a group of protesters in Beşiktaş. In his remarks on Twitter, CHP Deputy Chairman Sezgin Tanrıkulu claimed those provocateurs were backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Riot police also used tear gas and water cannons to disperse a group of protesters who attempted to march from the central İstanbul neighborhood of Fulya to Taksim Square. Protesters clashed with the police, throwing stones and firecrackers. As the police intervention was under way, two protesters were assaulted by unidentified people.
Police detained several members of a group which managed to enter Taksim Square despite the police barricades.
As the protests continued, İstanbul Police Chief Selami Altınok announced after inspections at Taksim Square that 136 people have been detained in İstanbul during May Day celebrations.
The İstanbul Governor's Office released a written statement later over the tense May Day celebration on Friday in İstanbul, stating that 203 demonstrators had been detained, while 18 were injured during the celebrations in İstanbul. The governor's office also stated that six police officers were also injured during the incidents.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has repeatedly announced that the square, which holds particular symbolic significance in relation to May Day, will only be open for select and symbolic commemorations by labor unions and civil society, while all others will be prohibited from entering.
However; Erdoğan, who spoke to 400 workers at the presidential palace on May 1, said the insistence on celebrating May Day in Taksim Square is “wrong and evil-minded.”
“We do not shut down May Day to anyone. On the contrary, we are trying to keep it open for the whole of İstanbul,” he says, in response to allegations that the government is trying to prevent the celebrations with extreme security measures and bans.
The square holds particular importance for May Day observations due to the Taksim Square massacre of 1977 that resulted in 37 fatalities. As thousands occupied the square at the height of an era of political violence between left-wing and right-wing ideological groups, shots were heard at the scene. Four people died from the gunfire, but most of the deaths were due to the chaos that ensued as security forces intervened.
May Day celebrated peacefully in other provinces
Despite the highly tense celebrations in İstanbul, there were no major incidents in other provinces.
Members of the Action Workers' Syndicates Confederation (Aksiyon İş) held celebrations at Ulus Square in Ankara without being targeted by any police intervention on Friday. The group stood in silence for those workers who have died in job-related incidents and then let off white pigeons to send their message to the government and employers. Similar peaceful protests were also held by Aksiyon İş in other provinces such as Trabzon, Erzurum, Bursa and Gaziantep.
During the celebrations held in Yeşilsu Square in Gaziantep, the demonstrators commemorated the miners who died in the Soma and Ermenek mining disasters in 2014.
A total of 301 miners were killed in a mining explosion in Manisa province's Soma district in May, while 28 miners were killed in another mining disaster in Karaman province's Ermenek in October last year.
May Day celebrations were held in a festive atmosphere in İzmir province. The main celebration was held at Gündoğdu Square in the western city. Renowned singer Suavi gave a concert during the celebrations.
Two separate celebrations were held in Antalya province to mark May 1. The major celebration was held at Cumhuriyet Square. Demonstrators celebrated May Day peacefully with dance performances in Antalya.
A tense incident erupted for a short period during the May Day celebration in Niğde province. The police intervened when two groups clashed with each other during the demonstrations. The police used tear gas against the clashing groups. About 25 demonstrators were detained by the police.
Tourists suffer due to tight security precautions
Tourists staying in hotels near Taksim Square were forced to walk with their luggage as the streets leading to Taksim were closed to vehicles. Those tourists who wanted to go to the airport had to haul their luggage from Taksim to Eminönü to get a bus.
As almost all streets in Taksim blocked off by police barricades, some tourists could not reach their hotels at Taksim Square because the police did not allow them to do so. There were long queues, consisting of tourists who wanted to reach their hotels, in front of the police barricades.
İstanbul went into a security lockdown on Friday as thousands of police manned barricades and closed streets to stop May Day rallies at Taksim Square.The normally crowded İstiklal shopping avenue leading to Taksim was deserted, with shops shuttered and metal barricades blocking off sidestreets. Police helicopters circled overhead. A usually bustling square lined with cafes and hotels, Taksim was filled with police buses, ambulances and satellite broadcast trucks.
Apart from tourists, locals were also negatively affected by the situation. Some locals could not reach their homes due to the streets being blocked off. One local told the Cihan news agency: “I am coming from the hospital in Cerrahpaşa. I cannot reach my home in Cihangir. This is just nonsense.”
Another local also told the news agency that he could not reach his workplace because of the barricades. “I am calling my workplace. I cannot reach them. They [referring apparently to the government or the police] should give me my daily wage because I cannot reach my work because of them.”
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