Turkish police scuffle with May Day protesters in Istanbul, detain hundreds

2/5/2025 6:23

Turkish police charged May Day protesters in Istanbul on Thursday, detaining hundreds of people and dragging some away in buses after they tried to defy a ban on public gatherings and march towards Taksim Square.



Unions and NGOs had called for protests and marches across Istanbul, which has seen a wave of mass demonstrations in recent weeks over the detention of its mayor and President Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival, Ekrem Imamoglu.



On Thursday, protesters attempted to march towards the city centre's Taksim Square, where all protests have been banned for years, in overcast and rainy weather.



Police blocked them in the central Besiktas and Sisli districts and pushed them back, scuffling with some who attempted to break through barricades.



Footage showed riot police and protesters charging at each other. Protesters held up signs and chanted slogans as police forcefully hauled detainees away to waiting buses.