Tens of thousands of workers and activists hit streets in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Adana metropolises for May Day rallies in Turkey, despite increased state of emergency measures.
In Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Adana metropolises, May Day rallies witnessed the gathering of tens of thousands of workers and activists against exploitation, warmongering and the siege of religious fundamentalism.
The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) had massive attendance for the rallies in all four metropolises.
May Day rally in Istanbul was held in Bakırköy district since authorities refused the demand of trade unions to use the iconic Taksim Square. Kani Beko, the general secretary of the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers (DİSK), addressed the workers from the platform. He underlined that their immediate struggle will be against the annulment of severance payment by the government.
In Gebze organised industrial district of Kocaeli, an industrial province in Marmara region of Turkey, hundreds of workers rallied with the call of United Steel Workers' Union (Birleşik Metal-İş).
In Ankara, the organising committee of May Day rally voiced the protest of the workers against referendum results and the ongoing unlawful enforcements under the state of emergency in Turkey.
It was reported that the police did not let banners of the Communist Party of Turkey into the meeting area in Ankara that read the inscription of "dictator", referring to the president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Police used tear gas and plastic bullets to disperse protesters and in Istanbul detained more than 160 people who tried to march to iconic Taksim Square in defiance of a ban on holding May Day events there.
In Ankara, at least 6,000 people demonstrated for May Day and against the referendum result. Earlier in the day, up to 60 people commemorated the 103 people killed outside the train station in Turkey's worst terror attack in October 2015.
TKP IN İSTANBUL
TKP IN ANKARA
TKP IN İZMİR
TKP IN ADANA
