Workers’ Day celebrations in Istanbul were once again met with extreme security measures and brutal police intervention targeting organizations, groups and the public wanting to exercise their right to demonstrate. Taksim Square, Beşiktaş and main roads leading to the area were sealed off as 20 thousand police officers were placed on duty.
Additional police officers were flown in from Adana, Diyarbakır, Bingöl, Gaziantep, Muş and Kars to be stationed in and around Taksim. Gathering points such as the Barbaros Boulevard and Şişli also saw intense riot police presence and the deployment of water cannon vehicles. Many public transport services were cancelled.
Around 11:30, a group of Communist Party members entered Taksim Square from a hotel on the square. Plainclothes policemen and riot police intervened and detained members of the group.
Labour unions and organizations gathered in Beşiktaş
The May 1 Organization Committee formed by DİSK (Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions), KESK (Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions), TMMOB (Union of Chambers of Turkish Architects and Engineers) and TTB (Turkish Medical Association) called for a rally in Taksim, and began to gather in Beşiktaş from 9 AM.
DİSK President Kani Beko, General Secretary Arzu Çerkezoğlu, KESK Co-President Lami Özgen, TMMOB President Mehmet Soğancı, ÖDP (Freedom and Solidarity Party) Co-President Alper Taş were among the group who entered Beşiktaş Square chanting slogans of “Taksim Square is May 1 Square”.
Recent history of Workers’ Day at Taksim Square
The AKP government had recognized May 1 as an official holiday in 2010, and after a 32 year hiatus, May 1 was celebrated in Taksim. Official figure of participation to the celebration was 140 thousand people. The square was used as a site for the celebration of Workers’ Day until 2013.
In 2013, permission was not issued for the celebration citing the construction of a pedestrianization project in Taksim Square. Last year, the Istanbul Governorate had cited “intelligence that illegal terror organizations were planning to resort to violence against security forces” to close off the square once again.
Police attacks Beşiktaş gathering
As negotiations continued between the organization committee and the security forces for the progress of the group in Beşiktaş, without prior announcement or warning, the police carried out a brutal attack on the thousands of people gathered. Using water cannons, plastic bullets and CS gas, the police went on to carry out a high number of detentions.
The May 1 Crisis Centre stated on Sunday that a total of 459 people in Istanbul had been deprived of their freedom on Workers’ Day, and that many remained in detention.
Speaking at a press conference held on Sunday, DİSK President condemned the brutal police attack and the detentions, stating “Court jesters of the palace will also need democracy one day”.
The May 1 Organization Committee formed by DİSK (Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions), KESK (Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions), TMMOB (Union of Chambers of Turkish Architects and Engineers) and TTB (Turkish Medical Association) will make a statement on May 1 detentions and arrest at the Çağlayan Court House at 1 PM on Monday.
