May First - Turkey May Day Protests Continue Despite Government Ban!

4 May 2014 

ISTANBUL| 01-05-2014 | Thousands of people are expected to gather on Istanbul’s highly symbolic Taksim Square for May Day despite a Government ban.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned protesters to “give up hopes” of meeting on Taksim, a traditional and symbolic rallying point for 1st of May events.
Turkish media reported that 40,000 police officers as well as 50 water cannon trucks and armored vehicles would be deployed to Istanbul on May 1.
Several public transportation systems headed to Taksim have been shut down for the day to prevent access.
Some of Turkey’s biggest unions continue to insist on holding the May Day rally at Istanbul’s Taksim Square despite Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s refusal to gather at the site.

“Taksim Square is the May Day square,” declared unions, adding that they and their members will be at the site on 1 May.
AHM-ATİK News Centre