May 1 Rally in İstanbul, İzmir

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Within the May 1 rally organizes in Bakırköy District of İstanbul, DİSK (Progressive Confederation of Trade Unions of Turkey) Chairperson Beko, KESK (Confederation of Public Employee’s Trade Unions) Chairperson Özgen, TMMOB (The Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects) President Mehmet Soğancı and TTB (Turkish Medical Association) second President Raşit Tükel have held speeches.

Joint statement in Bakırköy of İstanbul

The corteges have started to enter the area at around 11.30 a.m. and the speeches have begun at 1.30 p.m. on the platform set up on the area.

In the rally in Bakırköy, a joint statement of the organizations have been read out.The Kurdish version of the joint statement has been read by Yılmaz Dağlar and the Turkish version has been read by Nida Karabağ.  

At around 12.30 the police has intervened the cortege of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) at the control point. The police who have later used gas on the group has reasoned the intervenience by Amed Spor and the banners which have been used by HDP cortege.

HDP Co-Chair Figen Yüksek has made the following statement after following the intervenience:

“They have given the message of ‘This is Turkey, you can’t celebrate here’ with the intervenience. But no intervenience can prevent our people come together. The mass has Mayntained its calmness. Despite our good-will, this intervenience can’t be tolerated”.

Police intervention in Taksim

All the roads which lead to Taksim have been closed. Police has intervened those who wanted to celebrate May 1 in Taksim.

According to the statement made by the May 1 Lega, established in order to keep track of those taken into custody on May 1, 51 persons who wanted to head to Taksim for to celebrate have been taken into custody. 

In Tarlabaşı, one person hit by TOMA killed

In Tarlabaşı part of Beyoğlu district,  a riot control vehicle (TOMA) has hit Nail Mavuş.  57 year old Mavuş who has been taken to Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital has lost his life despite all efforts.

In İzmir, anarchists enter the area stripping

In İzmir, the celebrations have begun with a march to Gündoğdu Square at around 11.30 a.m.

While passing by the search point in front of the military housing premises, group of 25 attending the celebrations have stripped to protest the detailed body search.

The members of the group have stated that they have taken such an action in order to prevent their bodies being touched in the control point and to show their reaction against the police not taking action to provide safety of lives of the attendants in the previous demonstrations.

After completing their protest, the group has been allowed to the celebration area. (BK/HK/DG)