As I left the apartment yesterday morning, Istanbul police had cordoned off Taksim Square and Taksim Mosque with metal barricades. This was because of May Day “Global Workers” protests by Turkish civil society associations and trade unions. Raucous protestors chanted the slogan, “Bread, Peace, Freedom”.
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“Global May Day protests were reported in major cities worldwide, including Paris and Washington, D.C. The events underscore the growing intensity of public demonstrations and an ongoing struggle between authorities and organized protest movements.”
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Taksim Square
Groups participating in city-wide protests were “singled out after voicing their intention to march on Taksim Square, a favorite scene for anti-government acvtivists“. Istanbul’s Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) reported that “over 500 people were arrested”.
Protestors gathered in Mecidiyeköy District on Istanbul’s European side. They were surrounded by police, who “fired water cannons and sprayed tear gas into the crowd”. President of the Turkish Workers Party, Erkan Baş, became engulfed in tear gas, and union official, Başaran Aksu, was detained after denouncing the Taksim lockdown.
May Day
May Day “celebrates workers and the working class“. Every year, thousands of “staged May Day rallies” occur throughout Turkey. These rallies “see major police deployment, with a large area in central İstanbul around Taksim Square sealed off“.
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May Day has its origins in the US. The festivity stemmed from the pre-Christian holiday of Beltane, an ancient Gaelic tradition celebrating fire, rebirth, and the transition from winter cold and darkness to spring warmth and light. Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
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Earlier in the week, Istanbul “authorities issued arrest warrants for people they thought were likely to carry out May Day attacks, including journalists, trade unionists, and opposition figures“.
Turkish Coal Miners
In the Turkish capital, Ankara, “staged a nine-day hunger strike, demanding wage arrears“. Protests ended to their advantage, when
US May Day Demonstrations
Meanwhile, thousands in the US joined a “no school, no work, no shopping” May Day protest to mark International Workers’ Day. Protests were “organized by May Day Strong – a “coalition of Democratic Socialists, trade unions, pro-democracy groups, and organizations representing labor, racial justice, anti-war, climate justice, immigrant rights, and reproductive justice. Protests included walkouts, marches, and block parties”.
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“May Day Strong protest events marking International Labor Day occurred throughout the US, ranging geographically from Boston to San Francisco. Since 2024, the May Day Strong coalition has hosted Solidarity School Training and encouraged people to set up May Day events.”
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Labor Day vs. May Day
“US Labor Day (first September Monday) and May 1 (International Workers’ Day) both honor workers, but differ in history and purpose. May 1, known as May Day, serves as a Global Day of Commemoration for labor movements, honoring the historic struggles and gains of workers, such as the eight-hour workday. US Labor Day is a non-political, federal holiday created in 1894 to mark the end of summer and honor worker contributions.”
I’m happy that everything is calm and peaceful in Istanbul this morning, at least in Taksim…