ANKARA, ISTANBUL (AA) – May Day demonstrations in Turkey have begun, marked by widespread security measures as almost 24,500 police officers patrol the streets of Istanbul, backed by helicopters.
In the Turkish capital, Ankara police have detained four people suspected of trying to infiltrate an annual May 1 International Labor Day rally.
Turkish security officials told an Anadolu Agency correspondent that the Ankara police-intelligence department detained four suspects at the intercity bus terminal, known as ASTI. The four reportedly came from Syria and carried Iraqi passports.
The suspects were transferred to the city’s anti-terror department for questioning.
Over 4,000 police officers are on duty in Ankara. Security measures have been tightened in Kolej circle, near Kizilay in the city center, where May Day demonstrations take place.
Demonstrations in Istanbul have been allowed to take place in an open area of the Bakirkoy neighborhood on the city’s European side. However, gatherings at the city’s famous Taksim Square site have been banned by the authorities.
Four people were detained by Istanbul police this morning as they attempted to hold a protest in Taksim Square. Police made the arrests after intervening in a crowd of around 30 people, who wanted to march towards the site. Security forces used water cannon to disperse the group, with demonstrators taking to side streets after the chase.
Thirty-six more people have since been detained by police in the Besiktas and Sisli districts.
Public transport in Istanbul has been affected, with several roads to Bakirkoy being closed to traffic. Taksim’s metro station has also been shut down.
In the meantime, thousands of members and supporters of Turkish labor unions are being checked by police before entering the Bakirkoy site. Roads to the rally point and streets near the area have been closed off with barricades.
The rally in Bakirkoy was due to start at 1 p.m. local time (1000 GMT).
May 1 is celebrated by many labor unions and workers worldwide. May Day is generally a public holiday in many countries and is an official holiday in Turkey.
