Labor Day rallies in İstanbul lead to detentions

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Police barriers were erected early this morning, blocking all routes leading to the Republic Monument and Taksim Square in central İstanbul, as the local governor's office refused to permit the celebration of Labor Day on May 1 at the famous piazza.

The İstanbul governor's office granted permission for the May 1 gathering to occur at Taksim Square in 2010, after a 32-year ban. However, the rallies were again prohibited in 2013, citing a pedestrianization project as the reason for the ban.

Despite today's police blockades, various political parties, democratic organizations, trade unions, and youth organizations attempt to hold rallies and marches on the iconic square, resulting in numerous people getting detained.

Members of the Struggle Union (Mücadele Birliği) were among those who were detained early in the morning for marching towards Taksim with a banner that read "We did not leave, we are here, long live May 1."

Similarly, members of trade unions DİSK/Enerji-Sen and İnşaat-İş, including DİSK/Enerji-Sen Secretary General Emin Atsız and the founding chairperson of the union Kamil Karta, were apprehended while walking towards Taksim square with banners that read "Resistance and solidarity make us live, long live May 1."

Police also detained members of various political parties, such as the Social Freedom Party (TÖP), People's Salvation Party (HKP), The Revolution Party (DP), and Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) during their attempts to hold rallies.

#1Mayıs | “Yaşasın 1 Mayıs/ Bijî yek gulan” sloganlarıyla Elmadağ'dan Taksim’e yürüyen ESP, SGDF ve Birleşik İşçi Hareketi'nden dört kişi polis tarafından gözaltına alındı.https://t.co/rKBhhEWso1

(????@ezilenler) pic.twitter.com/zLfjuE17W2

— bianet (@bianet_org) May 1, 2023

'We will defeat fascism'

The İstanbul governor's office authorized this year's May Day celebrations to take place in Maltepe Square, located on the Asian side, while assemblies in any other areas are considered unsanctioned and against the law.

Thousands of people flocked to Maltepe to celebrate Labor Day. The festivities commenced with a moment of silence honoring those who died in the February 6 earthquakes and in the fight for labor and democracy.

Following that, the Ruhi Su Dostlar and Mesopotamia Cultural Center choirs performed the May 1 March in Kurdish and Turkish. The rally continued with fervent participation as tens of thousands danced the halay and chanted slogans.

Many of the chants were aimed at the upcoming May 14 elections, calling for removing the current government from power. Other slogans included "We will defeat fascism," "May 1 for a new beginning," and "Our labor our future."

"Today is May 1, a day of unity and solidarity, a day of united change. Our struggle for change continues,'' Turkish Medical Association (TTB) chairperson, Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı said to bianet, while attending the gathering.

Seizure of women's and LGBTIQ+ rights banners

At the entry point of the designated area, the police confiscated newspapers and banners, especially those related to women's and LGBTIQ+ rights.

At least ten people were detained in Maltepe when members of the Partizan and Leverage organization were not allowed to enter the area with Ibrahim Kaypakkaya banners.

Kaypakkaya was a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary and the founder of the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist (TKP/ML). He was executed at the age of 24 in 1973.

Last year, at least 164 individuals were apprehended throughout the city for "trying to organize unlawful protests", according to a statement released that day by the İstanbul governor's office.

(WM/VK)