Unions Declare May 1 to be Celebrated in Bakırköy, not Taksim

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DİSK, KESK, TTB and TMMOB have announced that they will celebrate May in Bakırköy Public Bazaar in İstanbul.

DİSK Chair Kani Beko, KESK Co-Chair Lami Özgen, TMMOB Board Chair Emin Koramaz, TTB Central Council Chair Prof. dr. Raşit Tükel, DİSK Secretary General Arzu Çerkezoğlu, DİSK Board member Kanber Saygılı, DİSK member unions’ central and branch directors and workers attended the press conference.

Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu announced that May 1 Workers’ Day will not be celebrated in Taksim. Minister of Labor and Social Security Mehmet Müezzinoğlu said today (April 26) that “We will celebrate May 1 at Tandoğan [square] in Ankara”. “People shouldn’t insist to celebrate May 1 in Taksim. Security is the priority for the celebrations”.

May 1 and Taksim

May 1 was celebrated in Turkey for the first time in 1906.

In 1977, fire was opened during May 1 celebrations at the Takim Square, killing 34 people. The event passed into history as “Bloody May “.

In 1979, May celebrations were banned in İstanbul and curfew was declared.

In 1989, a group of 2,000 people attempting to march towards Taksim on İstikal Street were dispersed by the police. A young man named Mehmet Akif Dalcı was shot to death during the incidents.

In 2009, over 5,000 people celebrated May 1 at the Taksim Square. Even though the governorship declared that no pepper gas would be used, police intervened in the demonstrators with pepper gas.

In 2010, the Taksim Square was opened to “demonstrations” after 32 years.

In 2013, the police attacked the groups that wanted to go to the Taksim Square. The celebrations were held following a police intervention that lasted seven hours. The police attacked that celebrations as well.

In 2014 and 2015, the Taksim Square was closed to May 1 celebrations. The groups rallying in Beşiktaş and Şişli confronted police attack. (BK/TK)