A major police operation is underway, with thousands of extra officers deployed in Istanbul as trade unions and left-wing groups attempt to march to city`s iconic Taksim Square.
However, as in recent years, Taksim -- a major interchange on Istanbul`s European side -- has been ruled out-of-bounds by the Turkish authorities.
A small number of detentions were reported early Friday morning. Five people were held by police in the Okmeydani district, near Taksim, after police claimed to have discovered gas masks and marbles.
Istanbul Police Department has released a statement claiming that officers seized 101 Molotov cocktails plus chemicals, cartridges and organizational documents during investigations across six districts of the city late on Thursday.
The statement said the confiscated materials "were aimed to be used to provoke Labour Day events."
May Day protests have previously been the catalyst for major street disorder in Istanbul and elsewhere in Turkey.
Many members of the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions of Turkey, or DISK, the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK), the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and the Turkish Medical Association (TBB) are gathering in the Besiktas district to attempt a march to Taksim.
Some union members still are expected to get together in the nearby Sisli district, where DISK’s headquarters is located for a similar march attempt.
A statement from the DISK union on Friday morning claimed that police were trying to disperse protesters in Besiktas.
Taksim Square remained closed to Labor Day demonstrations between 1977 and 2010.
The site has symbolic status for trade unionists and labor activists. Thirty-eight years ago, dozens of people were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire on a Labor Day crowd, causing a stampede in the square. Since 2013, union activists have again been barred from marching to the public square.
Unions have said that a ban on gathering at the iconic site contravenes both the Turkish constitution and European human rights legislation on freedom of assembly.
Turkish Premier Ahmet Davutoglu has said the Taksim Square is open for symbolic memorials.
In one such small-scale event, a major labor body -- the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions -- laid a wreath at Taksim Square’s Republican Memorial and flowers on Kazanci Street on Friday morning.
After the memorial, Faruk Buyukkucak, the union`s top official in Istanbul, said they felt “bittersweet joy” over May Day celebrations, adding that he called on officials to let demonstrators to celebrate at the square.
Members of the union marched to the site after obtaining necessary permission from the Istanbul Governorship and police, Buyukkucak told reporters.
Istanbul Governorship said Wednesday that the site would be off-limit to mass demonstrations.
City Governor Vasip Sahin urged demonstrators to use "common sense."
"I celebrate all peoples`, particularly the workers` Labor and Solidarity Day, hoping common sense, peace and brotherhood will dominate today" Sahin said Friday.
Istanbul police have made plans to keep groups out of the site. At least 10,000 police will be on duty in Istanbul while 7,000 other will be in Ankara as a part of security measures. Police leave in Istanbul has been cancelled.
Additional police forces have been re-located to major cities, including Ankara and Istanbul.
Local newspapers reported that more than 60 water cannon would be on the streets to break up violent protests.
Istanbul Governorship decided to close major streets leading to Taksim Square, which will be out-of-bounds to car traffic. Metro and tramway lines also will not be operational and ferry links will be affected.
Security barriers around Taksim Square have already been installed.
Some labor unions have moved their celebrations out of Istanbul to prevent possible violent scenes.
The TURK-IS union said it is going to celebrate May Day in Zonguldak, Turkey’s northern province, instead of Istanbul’s Kadikoy district where their event took place in 2014.
In a similar fashion, Memur-sen union said its May Day rally would be in Konya, Turkey’s central province, while the Kamu-sen union said they would be in Adana, a southern province.
Earlier, Prime Minister Davutoglu lashed out at pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples` Democratic Party leader Selahattin Demirtas for apparently comparing Istanbul`s iconic Taksim Square to Islam`s most sacred monument, the Kaaba in Mecca.
"We will never allow attributing an equivalent to the Kaaba, no matter which faith you are of," Davutoglu said Thursday during an election rally of his Justice and Development Party in Turkey’s central Nigde province.
Davutoglu was referring to Demirtas` remarks made during a commemoration ceremony in Taksim Square on Wednesday, where he said: "Taksim is as indispensable for workers as the Kaaba for Muslims and Jerusalem for Jews."
More about:
