Two hundred twelve demonstrators were detained in Istanbul for attempting to hold a May Day protest in defiance of the government’s strict coronavirus lockdown rules. In the lead-up to the historic day, police closed all roads leading in to Taksim Square, the site where 34 people were killed in a 1977 May Day protest. Due to security concerns, a ban on May Day demonstrations in Taksim has been in effect for several years.
According to Turkish media reports, members of the Limter-İş, İnşaat-İş, Dev Yapı-İş and Dev Turizm-İş unions, all part of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), were also among those detained.