Turkish police detain dozens in Istanbul during May Day demonstrations
Scores of Turkish protesters in the coastal city of Istanbul have been detained by the riot police during May Day demonstrations against the country’s economic hardship caused by galloping inflation.
This year's rallies took place on Sunday against the backdrop of soaring inflation that has destroyed livelihoods and upended the economy.
Protesters were arrested as they were trying to reach Istanbul’s main Taksim Square.
The Istanbul governor's office said 164 people were held after staging "an unauthorized rally" and refusing to disperse despite police warnings. May Day celebrations were authorized in another district by the Istanbul governor’s office, which had banned gatherings in all other locations.
Pictures of scuffles with riot police and handcuffed protesters were shown on television by domestic broadcasters.
Moreover, a report citing Demiroren News Agency, says police also detained 30 people in central Besiktas and 22 others in Sisli districts.
Marches and demonstrations, led by workers and unions, are held on May 1 every year in many countries to mark the International Labor Day.
However, these days the rallies took on new meaning in the midst of economic crises faced by some countries, including Turkey.
Turkey’s annual inflation rate is expected to rise to 68% in April, driven higher by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and rising commodity prices, receding only slightly by the end of the year, a Reuters poll showed on Thursday.
The rampant inflation and the economic hardship it causes were cited in May Day statements from several groups.
Head of the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (Turk-Is), Ergun Atalay, said “our main theme this year had to be cost of living,” demanding that minimum wages be adjusted monthly to reflect rising prices.
“Inflation is announced at the beginning of each month. The inflation rate should be added to wages every month,” he said.
Taksim has been a flashpoint on May Day with frequent clashes since 34 people were killed there on May 1, 1977, during an unstable period in modern Turkey's history.
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