At least 164 protesters were detained this Sunday in the demonstrations called for May Day and not authorized in istanbul (Turkey), as reported by the provincial government.
The protesters have staged isolated clashes with the Police when they have tried to reach Taksim Square, cordoned off by the Police, as in previous years. Those attending the calls have been concentrated in the Asian part of the city.
The manifestations of First of May they are prohibited in Taksim Square since the wave of protests in Gezi Park in 2013. Only a small group is allowed to enter to lay a wreath.
Demonstrations in 2013 against the reform of Gezi Park, one of the few green spaces in the city, led to a wave of anti-government protests that lasted for days. Finally it was repressed by the security forces with a balance of several dead and wounded.
Taksim Square is also important for May Day. This is because in 1977 on that date 34 people died from sniper fire against a concentration of half a million people. To date, it was not clear who was responsible for this attack.
There have also been demonstrations in Ankara, Izmir and other cities in Turkey, mainly focused on the economic crisis and inflation, which according to official figures exceeds 60%.
