Over 400 Detained During Labor Protests in Istanbul: Lawyers’ Association
May Day Labor Protesters Marching in İstanbul
The Istanbul branch of the Contemporary Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD) reported that over 400 individuals, including nine lawyers, were detained on May 1st during Labor and Solidarity Day demonstrations in Istanbul.
Despite an official ban on marches and gatherings in Taksim Square, groups defied the restrictions and assembled in Beşiktaş and Şişli early Tuesday morning.
Tensions Rise as Protesters Defy Taksim Ban
While the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) marked May Day in Kartal, and the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK) organized in Kadıköy, other demonstrators attempted to commemorate the day in Taksim, a symbolic location for labor protests in Türkiye.
In a statement released at 13:15 local time, ÇHD confirmed that mass detentions took place during efforts to break through police barricades.
Security measures in central Istanbul were intensified ahead of the day, with public transportation to Taksim and surrounding areas restricted by the authorities.