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May Day Arrests in Istanbul (2025-2026)
Comparison of the number of individuals detained during May Day demonstrations in Istanbul over the last two years.
Primary Sources
Turkish police fire tear gas, arrest hundreds at Istanbul May Day rallies
Istanbul (AFP) – Turkish police on Friday fired tear gas and arrested hundreds of people holding May Day demonstrations in Istanbul, as thousands rallied nationwide. Issued on: 01/05/2026 - 14:32Modified: 01/05/2026 - 16:57 3 min Reading time According to the CHD Lawyers' Association, police had arrested at least 550 people by mid-afternoon in Istanbul, where police fired tear gas from riot-control vehicles into the crowd, AFP journalists observed."The number of people in police custody -- or whom their relatives suspect are in custody -- from whom we have not heard anything, stood at at least 550," by 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) said a CHD statement.The authorities did not immediately comment on the detentions in the country's economic capital. Turkish police detain a protestor in Istanbul © BERK OZKAN / AFP Images aired on the opposition channel HALK TV also showed the president of the Turkish Workers' Party, Erkan Bas, engulfed in pepper spray."Those in power already speak 365 days a year, so let workers talk about the hardships they face at least one day a year," he said.Two groups were specially singled out in the city's European side after signalling their intention to march to Taksim Square -- the scene of several anti-government protests in the past -- which was sealed off overnight by police.A union official, Basaran Aksu, was arrested just after he had denounced the Taksim lockdown. "You can't close off a square to the workers of Turkey. Everyone uses Taksim, for official ceremonies, for celebrations. Only the labourers, the workers, the poor find the square closed to them," he said.Police linesMay Day, which celebrates workers and the working classes, sees a major police deployment in Turkey every year, with a large area in the heart of Istanbul around Taksim Square sealed off.Last year, protests moved to the Kadikoy area of the city and more than 400 people were arrested.The number of arrests this year appeared to be approaching that level. Turkish police in riot gear prevented the May 1 demonstrators from entering streets in the heart of Istanbul © Yasin AKGUL / AFP The CHD lawyers' group, which was present at the rallies, said on a post on X that, at 1100 GMT "according to our information, the number of people in custody stands at 370".On Friday, large numbers of police, many in riot gear, deployed, setting up metal barricades to cut off access to central neighbourhoods of Istanbul.In the Mecidiyekoy district, AFP reporters saw police use tear g...
Turkish police fire tear gas, arrest dozens at May Day rallies
ISTANBUL – Turkish police on May 1 fired tear gas and arrested dozens of people holding May Day demonstrations in Istanbul, as thousands rallied nationwide.According to the CHD Lawyers Association, nearly 370 people were arrested in Istanbul, where police fired tear gas from riot-control vehicles into the crowd, AFP journalists observed.Images aired on the opposition channel HALK TV also showed the president of the Turkish Workers’ Party, Mr Erkan Bas, engulfed in pepper spray.“Those in power already speak 365 days a year, so let workers talk about the hardships they face at least one day a year,” he said.Two groups were specially singled out in the city’s European side after signalling their intention to march to Taksim square – the scene of several anti-government protests in the past – which was sealed off overnight by police.A union official, Mr Basaran Aksu, was arrested just after he had denounced the Taksim lockdown.“You can’t close off a square to the workers of Turkey. Everyone uses Taksim, for official ceremonies, for celebrations. Only the labourers, the workers, the poor find the square closed to them,” he fumed.May Day, which celebrates workers and the working classes, sees a major police deployment in Turkey every year, with a large area in the heart of Istanbul around Taksim Square sealed off.In 2025, protests moved to the Kadikoy area of the city and more than 400 people were arrested.The number of arrests in 2026 appeared to be approaching that level.The CHD lawyers’ group, which was present at the rallies, said on a post on social media platform X that, at 11.00 GMT (7pm Singapore time), “according to our information, the number of people in custody stands at 370”.On May 1, a large deployment of police, many in riot gear, and metal barricades were seen choking access to central neighbourhoods of Istanbul.In the Mecidiyekoy district, police were seen by AFP using tear gas on the crowd, which included members of a Marxist party, the HKP, who tried to push through while chanting “USA murderer, (Turkey’s ruling party) AKP accomplice”.Police encircling the Besiktas neighbourhood stepped in – sometimes violently – whenever a chant was taken up by the demonstrators. AFP saw several protesters thrown to the ground.Unions and civil society associations had called for the May 1 demonstrations under the slogan “Bread. Peace. Freedom”.Inflation in Turkey is officially pegged at 30 per cent but is closer to 40 per cent, according to independent estima...
Tear gas and arrests at Istanbul May Day rallies - Bangkok Post
ISTANBUL - Turkish police on Friday fired tear gas and arrested hundreds of people holding May Day demonstrations in Istanbul, as thousands rallied nationwide.
Turkish police fire tear gas, arrest hundreds at Istanbul May Day ...
ISTANBUL: Turkish police on Friday fired tear gas and arrested hundreds of people holding May Day demonstrations in Istanbul, as thousands rallied nationwide. According to the CHD Lawyers ...
