Turkish police fired tear gas and detained hundreds of individuals during May Day demonstrations in Istanbul on Friday, as thousands participated in rallies across the nation. The CHD Lawyers' Association reported at least 370 arrests in Istanbul, where police deployed tear gas from riot-control vehicles into the crowd, according to AFP journalists.
Opposition Figures Targeted
Footage broadcast by the opposition channel HALK TV showed Erkan Bas, the president of the Turkish Workers' Party, being engulfed in pepper spray. Bas remarked, "Those in power already speak 365 days a year, so let workers talk about the hardships they face at least one day a year." Two groups on the European side of the city were specifically targeted after they announced plans to march to Taksim Square, a historic site of anti-government protests that was sealed off overnight by police.
Union Official Arrested
Union official Basaran Aksu was arrested shortly after condemning the lockdown of Taksim Square. He stated, "You can't close off a square to the workers of Turkey. Everyone uses Taksim, for official ceremonies, for celebrations. Only the laborers, the workers, the poor find the square closed to them."
Police Deployment
May Day, which honors workers and the working class, sees a significant police presence in Turkey each year, with a large area around Taksim Square in central Istanbul cordoned off. Last year, protests moved to the Kadikoy district, resulting in over 400 arrests. This year's arrest numbers are approaching that level. The CHD lawyers' group posted on X that by 1100 GMT, the number of detainees stood at 370.
On Friday, a heavy police presence, many in riot gear, and metal barricades blocked access to central Istanbul neighborhoods. In the Mecidiyekoy district, AFP observed police using tear gas on the crowd, which included members of the Marxist party HKP attempting to push through while chanting, "USA murderer, AKP accomplice." Police encircling the Besiktas neighborhood intervened, sometimes violently, whenever demonstrators began chanting. AFP saw several protesters thrown to the ground.
Demands and Inflation
Unions and civil society organizations called for the May 1 demonstrations under the slogan "Bread. Peace. Freedom." Official inflation in Turkey is 30 percent, but independent estimates place it closer to 40 percent. In Ankara, about 100 coal miners who had staged a nine-day hunger strike demanding unpaid wages were cheered as they joined the May Day march, which was notably large and youthful, monitored by a significant police presence, an AFP journalist reported.
Earlier this week, Turkish authorities issued arrest and search warrants for 62 people, deeming 46 of them—including journalists, trade unionists, and opposition figures—as "likely to carry out attacks."
