Turkish Police Clash with May Day Protesters

0:00On May 1st, Turkish police clashed with Mayday crowds in Istanbul, arresting more than 500 people and firing tear gas at demonstrators. Most arrests happened as folks tried marching to Texam Square, a hotspot for past protests that's been off limits for rallies since 2000, 13. Cops sealed it off overnight with heavy barriers. Meanwhile, this is standard for Labor Day in Turkey, with big police presence every May 1st for worker marches organized by unions. In Ankara, groups rallied peacefully at Tendogan Square, and governors Greenlit events in spots like Katakoy, Cardol, Izmir's Gundogdu Square, and D.R. Bakers is to see on Square. Protesters pushed back hard, especially in Istanbul's Masidiyyikoy district where crowds got surrounded. Turkish workers' party president, Erkan Baaz joined a group that broke through barricades only to face water cannons and gas. He called the Toximban straight up illegal and demanded it reopen. Lawyers from the CHD group on the scene confirmed the 500-plus arrests while trade unions

1:04packed rallies across cities from Bursa to Korm, under tight security. Even with attention, not every spot turned chaotic. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan kept it positive on social media, congratulating workers for their labor and sending greetings to employees everywhere, wrapping up the days mixed bives on solidarity. Stay in form with global news, AI-powered updates. I'm Kori with the story.