Turkish Police Detain Hundreds in Istanbul May Day Rallies

Turkish police used tear gas and detained hundreds of demonstrators during May Day rallies in Istanbul on Friday, as protesters attempted to march to the sealed-off Taksim Square and thousands gathered nationwide.

Authorities had blocked access to Taksim Square overnight with metal barricades and a large deployment of officers in riot gear, restricting entry to central neighborhoods including Mecidiyekoy and Besiktas. Witnesses observed police firing tear gas from riot-control vehicles into crowds on the city's European side. Officers intervened when groups, including members of the Marxist HKP party, tried to push through while chanting slogans criticizing the government and U.S. policy. In Besiktas, police threw several protesters to the ground during dispersals.

The CHD Lawyers Association reported between 200 and nearly 400 arrests in Istanbul. Among those detained was union official Basaran Aksu, arrested shortly after he criticized the Taksim restrictions. "You can't close off a square to the workers of Turkey. Everyone uses Taksim, for official ceremonies, for celebrations. Only the labourers, the workers, the poor find the square closed to them," Aksu said. Separately,...