Police intervention against workers making a call for May Day in İstanbul

* Photo: Zeynep Kuray

Click to read the article in Turkish

Upon the call of Bakırköy and Bayrampaşa Municipality and Sinbo, SML Etiket and Tur Assist protesters, a group of workers came together to hold a press statement about the May Day at Özgürlük (Freedom) Square in İstanbul's Bakırköy earlier today (April 21).

While the police have detained nearly 50 people, they have also tried to prevent reporters from taking videos and photographs.

CLICK - May Day celebrations banned in İstanbul

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul MP Musa Piroğlu also supported the press statement of the workers. The police blockaded the square where the workers came together for the statement and said that they would not allow the statement due to the pandemic.

Protesting this prevention, the workers said that the pandemic was used as an excuse and added that they would make the statement.

The police battered and detained them in response.

Bakırköy ve Bayrampaşa Belediyesi, Sinbo, SML Etiket ve Tur Assist direnişçilerinin çağrısıyla Bakırköy Özgürlük Meydanı'nda yapılacak olan 1 Mayıs açıklamasına polis saldırısı sonucu yaklaşık 50 işçi gözaltına alındı... pic.twitter.com/oPG7UpeVGY

— İSİG Meclisi (@isigmeclisi) April 21, 2021

Protesting the detention of the workers, HDP's Piroğlu has said, "This government is pushing people into poverty. But they keep on stealing and human trafficking. And they don't want the voice of workers and the poor to be heard. They don't want any objections to the system of plunder and exploitation. Those who closed this square today should know that this system of exploitation will come to an end. They should know that people are getting angrier and angrier with each passing day. They closed here today, but May Day will definitely be celebrated at the squares."

Bakırköy Özgürlük Meydanı'nda eylem yapan Sinbo, SML, Tur Assist, Bakırköy ve Bayrampaşa Belediyesi işçileri yapacakları basın açıklaması öncesi alan polis ablukasına alındı.#1Mayıs2021 #1Mayıs
v/@ozgur__gelecek pic.twitter.com/sCc379nZ6V

— Umut Gazetesi (@UmutGazetesi_) April 21, 2021

(HA/SD)