By Tuncay Kayaoglu
ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkey’s major trade unions held a remembrance ceremony for the 36 victims of a 1977 May Day massacre, laying flowers in Istanbul’s Taksim Square on Friday.
“We never forgot the slain and we will never forget,” said Kani Beko, chairman of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DISK).
Dozens of people were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire on a Labor Day crowd, causing a stampede in the square.
The Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK), the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and the Turkish Medical Association (TBB) also joined today’s commemoration service.
After speeches, union members laid flowers on the spot where their comrades died.
In previous years, members of aforementioned unions tried to rally in Taksim Square to celebrate May Day. This year, Istanbul Governor’s Office has allowed these unions to hold their celebrations in Istanbul’s Bakirkoy district on the city’s European side.
Beko stressed that labor unions could not ignore what has happened during the last nine months, referring to suicide attacks which rocked the nation.
“Since we need a mass meeting, we decided among ourselves without any pressure to hold celebrations in Bakirkoy,” Beko said.
Taksim Square remained closed to Labor Day demonstrations between 1977 and 2010. Since 2013, union activists have again been barred from marching to the public square.
The site has symbolic status for trade unionists and labor activists. Unions have argued that a ban on gathering at the iconic site contravenes both the Turkish constitution and European human rights legislation on freedom of assembly.
Turkish officials said the site has been closed to such gatherings and proposed other public squares for the rally.
