The Last Decade of May Day Celebrations in Istanbul

The 10-years history of May Day has passed with laborers struggling to get to Taksim square, as they call it “May Day Square”. May Day, acknowledged officially as Labour and Solidarity Day on the 22nd of April 2009, has passed violently due to Justice and Development Party’s persistence on not permitting the laborers to get to Taksim..

As what happened throughout the 10-years history of May Day on using the right to gather and demonstrate is evaluated in the meetings, it is likely proven that “wherever police is, something happens”.

1 May 2013 Wednesday

Governor of Istanbul Hüseyin Avni Mutlu stated: “Due to the constructions in Taksim, the square will be unavailable for May Day celebrations”.

1) Police has attacked the protesters with gas and water for 7 hours in Beşiktaş district.

- ÇHD stated that they have been attacked with plastic bullets.

- An announcement was made from CHP’s bus for 5 people, and the police fired tear gas at where 5 wounded people were.

2) There were clashes between the protesters and police at almost all points of Şişli district. Police has attacked the protesters with tear gas and water cannon.

- Police has attacked the group who was walking in front of DISK building with tear gas and water cannon. Police fired tear gas into an apartment flat next to DISK building.

- Police has fired tear gas targeting protesters in the alleys of Mecidiyeköy. Protester retaliated by throwing rocks.

- There were 4 wounded who took refuge in DISK building, these wounded were sent to Şişli Etfal Hospital. Police entered Şişli Etfal Hospital’s garden with riot control vehicles and deployed tear gas and water cannon.

- Tear gas was shot into an apartment flat in the back alley of DISK building, causing a small fire.

- The 12 wounded in DISK building couldn’t be brought out due to heavy police intervention. They were taken to the hospital afterwards.

3) Galata Bridge has been lifted for the first time today since the maintenance work in 1970.

- Metro, metrobus, ferry, motor and tram services were cancelled in Istanbul; many roads were closed to traffic.

-  Governor’s Office has disabled transportation to Taksim by lifting off Galata Bridge and Unkapanı bridge.

4) Police didn’t attack the group that gathered in Turkey.

- TKP has gathered in Kadıköy Docks Square..

5) ÇHD stated: “At least 26 were taken under custody; 7 injured in total, 3 of them injured gravely.

6) 6 journalists were injured in the attacks at Beşiktaş.

7) 17 y.o. Dilan Alp was gravely injured as a result of tear gas hitting her head. She was taken under operation in Taksim First Aid Hospital.

1 May 2012 Tuesday

May Day had a holiday atmosphere around the country.

In Istanbul,

- Şişli Municipality Police gave cloves to bypassers in front of Police Building.

- Riot Control Police stood by in the Street between TRT and Harbiye Officer’s club. At searchpoints, traffic police did the work.

- Police was absent in Taksim Square, instead they stood by in Sıraselviler and Istiklal Street.

- Many intellectuals, artists, union authorities made speeches on the stage in Taksim Square. Dances took place and songs were sung.

 1 Mayıs 2011 Sunday

Taksim Square is opened with celebrations for the first time since 1977. Cheerful celebrations were all around the country.

Along Turkish songs, Kurdish and Armenian songs were also sung. Grup Yorum gave a mini concert with singing Şivan Perver’s song Herne Peş.

 Fenerbahçe ve Galatasaray fans walked together in Taksim.

A little fight broke out between the police and members of the popular front, as they were walking from Şişli to Taksim and the clock nearing to 12. It didn’t last long, as members of the popular front got past the searchpoint.

Protesters stated: “Without the police, today was a peaceful, cheerful May Day.”

1 May 2010 Saturday

Taksim Meydanı was opened to “demonstration” for the first time after 32 years. There were 3 roads leading up to Taksim: “Gümüşsuyu, Mecidiyeköy-Şişli ve Tarlabaşı Boulevards”.

Police watched the protesters go by, drinking ‘tea’.

Cumhuriyet Square in Batman province was opened to May Day celebration for the first time in 20 years.

Protesters in Ankara celebrated May Day in Sıhhiye Square.

1 May 2009 Friday

On 22 April 2009, May 1 is acknowledged as “Labour and Solidarity Day” and a holiday by the Parliament’s plenary session.

More than 5 thousand people celebrated May Day in Taksim. Plot committee ended celebrating at 13:30.

As speeches continued, police attacked those who wanted to join the celebrations from nearby alleys. However, a group coming from Kazancı Slope made it to the square.

While ÇHD stated that the apprehensions passed 400, Governor of Istanbul Muammer Güler said that 108 people were taken under custody.

 Approximately 300 riot control officers deployed water cannon to lead protesters away from Taksim Square.

A banner that read “Find the ones who shot from here on 1 May 1977” was put on the upper floors of The Marmara Hotel. Later, this banner was removed as it was pulled from lower windows.

Police deployed tear gas and water cannon to the group walking from Kurtuluş Street to Taksim Square.

The group in Ergenekon Street was scattered using tear gas.

Glasses of some stores were broken nearby Kurtuluş. Police threw back the rocks protesters threw and deployed tear gas.

Police fired into the air and upon the group in Kurtuluş. Tear gas was deployed to the stores and 40 people were taken under custody.

Police attacked the protesters with tear gas despite the Governor’s Office’s statement that tear gas will not be used.

Problems in transportation occured. Prior to May Day, Governor’s Office shut down the metro lines of Şişhane-Taksim, Mecidiyeköy-Taksim and Kabataş-Taksim funicular.

1 May 2008 Thursday

Governor of Istanbul Muammer Güler stated:“Transportation will be disabled and police will apply necessary measures on May 1”

Due to police’s heavy interventions unions stated that they will not go to Taksim. May Day was celebrated in alleys.

There was talk of labor groups going to Taksim with 100-150 people, however these groups gave up.

 Police deployed tear gas into patient’s deck in Şişli Etfal Hospital

 Police attacked to the group who was walking from Osmabey to Taksim with tear gas, kicking and baton. It is said that police attacked to everyone who shouted and opened banners nearby Şişli.

 Taksim and its nearby was surrounded by police and traffic was closed. Some citizens  told that police attacked with tear gas and baton.

Police attacked the groups in Harbiye with tear gas and panzers.

Police attacked the group that wanted to go to Taksim from Sıraselviler Street and scattered them. Also the group from Kazancı slope was scattered.

Police deployed tear gas and water cannon on the group that wanted to walk from Büyük Parmakkapı Street to Taksim.

Police surrounded DISK building. CHP Parliament Member Mehmet Ali Özpolat had a heart spasm, who previously said that he was affected by tear gas.

Police injured a citizen for possession of a lemon in his pocket. The citizen was sent to Taksim First Aid Hospital soon after.

cnnturk.com.tr stated that 505 were detained by the police.

It was said that approximately 1500 people were detained around Ali Sami Yen Stadium.

hurriyet.com.tr said that police attacked workers in Dolapdere and that nearly 40 was sent Şişli Etfal Hospital.

1 May 2007 Tuesday

Governor of Istanbul Muammer Güler stated: “We will not permit for celebrations in Taksim.”

Thousands of police surrounded Kazancı slope. After the negotations, Governor’s Office gave 500 people permission to celebrate in Taksim.

Police didn’t allow 1500 people waiting in Dolmabahçe to go to Taksim Square.

Anadolu Agency: “A total of 695 people were taken under custody, and 198 of them were women.”

Police attacked the group of 3 thousand people that started walking from Okmeydanı to Taksim. 

A fight broke out between the riot control and ESP and Rights and Liberty Front (HÖC) as they wanted to go to Taksim from Kasımpaşa. Police deployed tear gas and water cannon while protesters retaliated with rocks, slingshots and Molotov cocktails.

Police attacked the Cumhuriyet newspaper correspondent Alper Turgut with baton, kicking and tear gas.

Police fired tear gas to buildings of SDP in Feridiye Street and MMO in İpek Street. Ayşe Yılmaz, İHD officer, said: “People were stopped by the police and they couldn’t help the wounded since police placed barricades.

Görkem Yılmazer, editor of Jineps newspaper, was detained by the police as he wanted to go to Taksim

1 Mayıs 2006 Monday

Protesters in Istanbul met in Kadıköy in 3 corteges. Parties and groups such as DİSK, Confederation of Public Laborer’s Unions (KESK), Türk-İş, ÖDP, Emek Party (EMEP), Democratic Society’s Party (DTP), Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), Community centers, Union of Chambers of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB), Social Democrat People’s Party (SHP), Lambda İstanbul and Partizan.

 Law of Social Insurances, Anti-Terror Law ve nuclear plants Project are protested at the celebrations in Kadıköy.

Worker’s Party celebrated May Day at former Tüyap area, in Tepebaşı.

People celebrated May Day by starting to walk from Demirtepe and stopping at Tandoğan Square. . Police units on the ground and air stood by.

Many of the participants were injured by the police at searchpoints in Cumhuriyet gate in Izmir province.

Security measures were taken for May Day walk as 3 thousand people participated in Kocaeli province.

1 May 2005 Sunday

May Day celebrations started as four confederations collaborated in putting cloves to Kazancı Slope, Taksim. Nearly 100 thousand people participated in the celebrations that continued in İskele Square, Kadıköy. A little fight broke out between Communist Party of Turkey members (TKP) and Liberty and Solidarity Party members (ÖDP) after Kadıköy celebrations ended.

Police attacked 3 separate groups for starting an unauthorized demonstration in Taksim. 47 were detained.

Celebrations took place in Tandoğan Square in Ankara province.

Celebrations took place in İstasyon Square in Gaziantep province. Sharpshooters stood by, police took photos of protesters with many cameras.

Tensions rose between Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP), who wanted to go to Gündoğdu Square in Izmir province, and police who didn’t allow them.

Tensions rose between police and a group of nearly a thousand people who wanted to go to Dağkapı Square in Diyarbakır province.

7 people were taken under custody in Batman province.

1 May 2004 Saturday

As Türk-iş was celebrating May Day in Şişli of İstanbul, Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK) ve Confederation of Rights and Workers Unions(Hak-İş) started walking from Saraçhane and celebrated in Yenikapı. (MA/HK/BAR/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.