May 1 Meeting in Maltepe: We Will See Beautiful Days

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May 1 meeting is taking place in Maltepe, İstanbul.

There are banners reading “Long Live May 1” and "Bıjî Yek Gulan". Meeting staff are wearing vests reading “We’ll see beautiful days”.

In a joint press conference held by Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions (KESK), Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and Turkish Medical Association (TTB), it was stated that an application was submitted to the İstanbul Governorship for the May 1 program to be held in Taksim but the application was rejected.

City and ecology organizations had opposed May 1 being celebrated at Maltepe fill area.

“Peace” poem by Rutkay Aziz

14:56: Artist Rutkay Aziz sang poem called Peace by Yannis Ritsos.

TTB: We don’t give up peace

TTB Central Council Chair Raşit Tükel said, “We find anything that harms human health and life is against the nature of profession of a doctor, and we don’t give up peace and democracy under any condition”.

TMMOB: We will continue to struggle together

TMMOB Executive Board Chair Emin Koramaz said, “AKP’s (Justice and Development Party) biggest fear is that we come together and struggle”.

“State of Emergency has been used as an instrument to silence us. Over 130 thousand civil servants have been discharged. MPs, mayors, journalists, academics have been arrest, our strikes have been adjourned. Whatever they do, they won’t be able to prevent us from struggling together”.

Artist Erkal was on the stage with Hikmet’s verses

Artist Genco Erkal addressed the crowd with Nazım Hikmet’s poems.

KESK: Bijî Yek Gulan, Long Live May 1

KESK Vice Chair Mehmet Bozgeyik said, “We are trying to celebrate our last two May 1 under State of Emergency conditions. In spite of State of Emergency Governors banning our slogans, Bijî Yek Gulan, Long Live May 1”.

“Long live peace, long live freedom. Enough with the State of Emergency and rule of statutory decree. We will win”.

DİSK: We’re not alone, desperate, out of choice

14.00: Speaking on behalf of the DİSK, Arzu Çerkezoğlu said, “Democracy is the bread of worker. State of Emergency is seizing our labor. Labor will stop Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who brags in front of the bosses for ‘banning strikes’”.

Speaking on behalf of the DİSK, Arzu Çerkezoğlu said, “Democracy is the bread of worker. State of Emergency is seizing our labor. Labor will stop Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who brags in front of the bosses for ‘banning strikes’”.

“Turkish and Kurdish workers will stop those who try to rule the country by making people hostile towards each other. We will not hand this country to darkness. This country is ours. We are not alone, desperate, out of choice”.

DİSK Choir is on the stage

13.56: Political party representatives took the stage and sang the International anthem with the DİSK Choir.

13.40: DİSK Choir took the stage.

Meeting program began

13.30: Meeting program started with a minute of silence for those who lost their lives in October 10 Ankara Massacre, Suruç massacre, May 1 1977 massacre and in struggle for labor, democracy and peace.

Photo of imprisoned former Co-Chair of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş was placed on the protocol..

Entrances to the area started

12.45: Journalists Outside's banner reading "Freedom to journalists" was hung on the stage

12.25: Corteges started to enter the area.

Figures including HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan, Republican People’s Party (CHP) MPs Sezgin Tanrıkulu, Gülay Yedekçi, Gürsel Tekin, Ali Şeker, Umut Oran, Peoples’ Democratic Congress Co-Chair Gülistan Kılıç, artists Rutkay Aziz, Genco Erkal, People’s Community Houses Co-Chairs Oya Ersoy and Nuri Günay, Labor Party (EMEP) Chair Selma Gürkan, Labor Party Central Executive Board member Levent Düzel, DİSK Secretary General Arzu Çerkezoğlu, Greens and Left Future Party Spokesperson Naci Sönmez, KESK Co-Chair Mehmet Bozgeyik, HDP MP Lezgin Botan, former TTB President Prof. Dr. Raşit Tükel, former HDP Co-Chair Serpil Kemalbay, CHP Vice Chair Gamze Akkuş İlgezdi, CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu, mayors of Şişli, Beşiktaş, Beylikdüzü and Sarıyer took their place in the protocol.

Mitinge Dışarıdaki Gazeteciler, Halkların Demokratik Partisi, Halkevleri, Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi Adana Demir Spor, Oyuncular Sendikası, Üsküdar Hayır Meclisi, Hava-Sen, Çoğulcu Demokrasi Partisi, DİSK,  KESK, TMMOB, Emeklilikte Yaşa Takılanlar Sosyal Yardımlaşma ve Dayanışma Derneği, Türkiye Yazarlar Sendikası, Lastik İşçileri, Sine-Sen, BDSP, DİSK Emekli-Sen, Hisarüstü Gençlik, Eğitim-Sen, Dışarıdaki Gazeteciler, Demokrat Ordulular Platformu, Emek Partisi, Türk Tabipler Birliği İstanbul Tabip Odası, CHP, Sosyal-İş, Devrimci Yapı-İş, Gıda-İş, Feministler, LGBTİ'ler, Ezilenlerin Sosyalist Partisi,Çarşı, Antikapitalist Müslümanlar, Eğitim Sen, İnsan Hakları Derneği, Cam Seramik-İş, Kadıköy, Matepe, Kartal belediye başkanlarının da aralarında olduğu kişi ve kurumlar katılıyor.

Corteges are ready

* Cortege photos: Elif Akgül, bianet

12.00: Marching started from two wings.

11.50: March of the corteges will start at 12 and the meeting at 1 p.m.

(TP/BK/AS/TK)