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Turkish Police Fire Tear Gas, Arrest Hundreds at Istanbul May Day Rallies

Police used tear gas and water cannon as unions and civil groups protested wage arrears and inflation, with more than 500 arrests reported.

  • On Friday, Turkish police detained nearly 570 people during May Day demonstrations in Istanbul, employing tear gas and metal barricades to seal off central Taksim Square, the CHD Lawyers Association reported.
  • Authorities sealed off Taksim Square to prevent protests, a recurring yearly measure in Turkey amid economic strain; independent estimates place inflation closer to 40 per cent, higher than the official 30 per cent.
  • Police used tear gas against Marxist People's Liberation Party members chanting, "USA murderer, AKP accomplice," while images showed Turkish Workers' Party president Erkan Bas engulfed in pepper spray.
  • Union official Basaran Aksu was arrested after denouncing the Taksim lockdown, fuming, "You can't close off a square to the workers of Turkey. Only the labourers, the workers, the poor find the square closed to them."
  • Earlier this week, Turkish authorities issued warrants for 62 people, deeming 46 including journalists and opposition figures "likely to carry out attacks," while in Ankara, about 100 coal miners joined the May Day march.
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Lean Right

In Istanbul, at least five hundred people were arrested during a May Day protest for attempting to march to Taksim Square. The area has been designated as off-limits by the authorities. The demonstrators tried to break through the police blockade multiple times and were subsequently apprehended by officers stationed there with water cannons and pepper spray. According to the mayor of the Turkish city, the demonstrators had been warned in advance…

·Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
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Right

In the European cities of Istanbul and Turin, there were clashes between the police and demonstrators on May 1st. There were arrests and injuries. The Turkish police fought in Istanbul with demonstrators who wanted to march to the famous Taksim Square on May 1st. Previously, the authorities had banned meetings in this area. The local lawyer association CHD estimated the number of arrested on over 300. Access roads blockedThe riot police used tea…

·Vienna, Austria
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Associated Press NewsAssociated Press News
+5 Reposted by 5 other sources
Lean Left

Hundreds detained during May Day protests in Turkey

Turkish authorities have detained over 500 May Day demonstrators for attempting to march in restricted areas.

·United States
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The HinduThe Hindu
+22 Reposted by 22 other sources
Lean Left

Turkish police fire tear gas, arrest hundreds at Istanbul May Day rallies

Turkish police on Friday (May 1, 2026) fired tear gas and arrested hundreds of people holding May Day demonstrations in Istanbul, as thousands rallied nationwide.

·India
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  • 41% of the sources are Center, 41% of the sources lean Right
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Cumhuriyet broke the news in Istanbul, Türkiye on Friday, May 1, 2026.
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