May Day In Turkey: Police Used Water Cannons and Tear Gas, 50 Protesters and 9 Journalists Wounded

Istanbul experienced another eventful May Day as police prevented any attempt by demonstrators to reach Taksim Square by resorting to tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.

Clashes between the police and May Day celebrators took place in Istanbul when the latter forced to enter the banned Taksim Square in the city centre. A group of protestors were also targeted by a police water cannon during an intervention in Sisli…

A group of DISK trade and their supporters were stopped by a police intervention after they attempted to march into Istanbul’s Taksim Square from Halazkargazi street in Sisili district to celebrate the International Workers’ Day, May Day, on Thursday. A number of people were reported to have been injured during the police intervention.

A group of journalists, who had been covering the events, were also targeted by a water cannon, and their equipment were damaged during an intervention is Sisli district of the city.

Taksim Square was closed to this year’s celebrations in a repeated practice to last year’s, but trade s and other May Day celebrators insisted on gathering in the square, and the insistence caused clashes between various groups and the police.

Police intervention took place in other areas of Istanbul including Besiktas, Okmeydani, Mecidiyekoy, where clashes took place between May Day celebrators and security forces.

Chaotic scenes of protesters braving police crackdowns that have become customary in Istanbul were once again on display as unions insisted on their right to gather at the iconic square for Labor Day, defying a ban by authorities.

Up to 200 demonstrators were detained and scores were injured as police confronted unions and organizations, including the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK) or members of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and other parties, in the Beşiktaş and the Şişli district of Istanbul.

CHP deputy Pavey.

Nearly 40,000 police officers where deployed to cut all roads connecting to Taksim Square and to keep the whole area at the center of Istanbul under a virtual blockade.

Tension was also present in Ankara, where the governor’s office mimicked Istanbul by banning May Day rallies in the city’s symbolic Kızılay Square.

9 journalists wounded in İstanbul.

(dha/hdn/baska haber/afp)