Authorities cracked down on May Day protests in Istanbul, arresting hundreds of people and deploying 50,000 police officers to the city. Demonstrations were banned from Taksim Square since 2013, with public transport shut down to prevent protesters from reaching the area. Clashes between riot police and protesters were reported, with demonstrators chanting as they were forcibly removed onto buses.
The crackdown comes after the arrest of opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in March, which sparked mass protests in support of the pro-democracy demonstrator. Ankara has denied that the arrest was politically motivated, but critics argue that the government is cracking down on dissent ahead of the 2028 election.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have urged Turkey to lift its ban on demonstrations in Taksim Square, calling it “spurious” and “based on entirely security grounds.” The restrictions were enforced despite several labour unions being allowed brief access to the area with permission. Tourists also struggled to reach the square due to police barriers and restricted access.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in power for over 20 years, and many see Ekrem Imamoglu as his main rival in the upcoming election. The Turkish government’s crackdown on dissent has raised concerns about freedom of speech and assembly in the country.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8jdk9jlgpo