More than 100 people were detained in the past two days police raids in İstanbul and İzmir targeting groups calling for May Day gatherings in İstanbul’s Taksim Square.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said the detentions were aimed at those promoting “illegal” demonstrations in Taksim, where demonstrations remain officially banned. The square has long been a politically charged space, and May Day celebrations haven’t been allowed there since 2012.
Early yesterday, police conducted three separate raids in İstanbul and detained 92 individuals. Prosecutors had issued warrants for 108 people in the city.
Among those detained were members of the organizing committee for the planned Taksim demonstrations, as well as individuals affiliated with various leftist parties and organizations. Employees of Etkin News Agency (ETHA) were also be among the detainees according to Mezopotamya Agency (MA).
In İzmir, police carried out simultaneous home raids early in the morning. Detainees included university students, union representatives, and members of several leftist political parties, including the Labor Party (EMEP), the Left Party (SOL), and the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), as reported by daily Evrensel.
Savaş Candemir, a branch chair of the Education and Science Workers’ Union (Eğitim Sen), announced on social media that he was being detained along with his spouse, Gülsen Candemir.
Taksim Square has been largely closed to May Day rallies since the 1980 military coup, with police frequently intervening in attempts by leftist groups to march there. Only a small group of representatives is permitted to lay carnations at the Atatürk statue in the square to commemorate those killed during the 1977 May Day events, known as Bloody May Day.
30 April 2021
During the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)’s rule, May Day was declared an official holiday in 2009. Demonstrations were briefly permitted in Taksim from 2010 to 2012, but have since been redirected to other designated locations in the city. In the past decade, Taksim has also been off-limits for not only May Day but most political demonstrations.
This year, several leftist groups have announced their intention to march to Taksim, despite the ban. Meanwhile, major labor confederations such as DİSK and KESK, along with professional associations including the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), have opted to mark May Day in Kadıköy on İstanbul’s Asian side. (VK)
