1 MAY 2012

"Who caused the 1^st of May massacre in 1977? Workers, marginal groups or state officials? We are going to celebrate May 1 with folk songs, marches and dancing halay (a kind of folk dance)"

İstanbul Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu said "I will not allow to May 1 celebrations at Taksim Square if any incident happens this year" recently about the celebration of May 1 Labor and Solidarity Day at Taksim.

When his warning drew reaction, he made another statement yesterday and said "I didn't mean workers and laborers, I meant the marginal groups that created problems last year."

"An odd statement  "

Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) President Erol Ekinci said that Governor Mutlu made an unfortunate statement and he added "We have been celebrating May 1 at Taksim Square for 2 years and no incidents occurred. This being the case, no one has the right to warn people by saying "I am going to prohibit the celebrations if any incident occurs'.

"I think that his statement is odd and unfortunate as the celebration preparations are all completed a few days ago.

"Who caused 1977?"

Ekinci told the following about Mutlu's "I mean marginal groups" statement:

"If they're talking about provocation and marginal groups, they have to remember 1977. Who caused the May 1 massacre in 1977? Workers, marginal groups or state officials?"

"In accordance with the discipline of the working class, first, we are going to express our demands and then we are going to celebrate May 1 with folk songs, marches and dancing halay (a kind of folk dance)"

May 1 was celebrated at Taksim in 1978 most recently; later it was prohibited. After many years it was celebrated for the first time at Taksim in 2009 with 5.000 people. In 2010, it was celebrated with the permission of the governor after 32 years, and hundreds of thousands of people participated to the celebrations. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered again at Taksim last year. (NV)