Workers' Day of Unity, Solidarity and Struggle has been celebrated in Istanbul, Ankara, Amed, Van, İzmir and other cities in Turkey and North Kurdistan today.

ISTANBUL

Many political groups wanting to celebrate May Day at Taksim Square, where İstanbul Governorate had banned for May Day evets, were attacked by the police as they gathered in different locations in order to reach Taksim.

Pınar Kara and Gamze İyidoğan from the Struggle Union Platform were detained by the police after resisting the detentions for a long period of time.

Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), Kaldıraç, Struggle Union, anarchists, construction workers and members of socialist parties gathered in front of Gayrettepe Metro Station in order to march to Taksim. Police attacked the march with tear gas canisters and detained many people.

The Revolutionary Youth Movement also tried to reach Taksim today. The Movement's spokesperson said "Those that say 'No, it is not over yet' are here today. We also say 'No' to the closure of squares to the public. Thousands of people were massacred here. We will not leave this place. We do not recognize this ban. They are attacking us, we will not give up."

Police also attacked People's Salvation Party (HKP) members in Beşiktaş and detained nearly 25 party members.

Moreover, the 'After 'No' Group' attempting to march to Taksim from Barbaros Boulevard were also prevented by the police that detained 15 people here.

Workers, peoples, women's organizations and other groups flocked to the May Day Square in Bakırköy, where banners read “No, we won. We do not recognize.”

The massive May Day event in Bakırköy was joined by thousands from DİSK, KESK, TTB, TMMOB, HDP, CHP, TKP, ÖDP, EMEP, Haziran Hareketi (June's Movement), Anti-capitalist Muslims, Peace Bloc, DİP, EMEP, Labor Youth, EHP, KCDP, HDK, Kaldıraç, Aka-der, Koç University Students Solidarity and Çarşı.

Trade unionists and politicians greeted the crowds after the performance of the DİSK Chorus, who sang the Internationalist Anthem here. DİSK President Kani Beko and KESK President Lami Özgen addressed the crowd, commemorated the May Day martyrs of 1977, 1989 and 1996, demanded the immediate release of everyone arrested today while trying to reach the Taksim Square for May Day.

ANKARA

Two different rallies have been organized at Kolej Square and Tandoğan in capital city Ankara.

Police forces inspected the banners and signs during the search at Cebeci checkpoint, and signs that read “One Man”, “dictator”, “Thief AKP” and “Collaborator YSK” were confiscated. Crowds gathered at Dikimevi and marched to Cebeci from here. No Voters from Ankara marched from Kızılay to Kolej Square in a colorful cortege. The families of the people killed in the October 10 Massacre were also on the streets today.

Thousands commemorated victims of the October 10 massacre in front of the train station and later marched to the rally in Kolej Square where members of political parties, youth and women's organizations, faith organizations and other groups led by DİSK, KESK, TMMOB and TTB gathered to celebrate May Day. Police officers harassed protestors and confiscated signs as they searched the people entering Kolej Square. Women, university students, and Eğitim-Sen and HDP members formed corteges before and during the celebrations at Kolej Square.

İZMİR

The May Day celebration in İzmir organised by DİSK, KESK, TMMOB, Türk-İş, Birleşik Kamu İş and Liman-İş İzmir Branch took place at Gündoğdu Square. İzmir Port, Konak, and Cumhuriyet Square were the meeting points in the city.

Workers gathered in İzmir's Karşıyaka, Buca, Çiğli and Bornova districts. After the celebrations in these districts, the workers will go to Konak Square, Cumhuriyet Square and Alsancak Port entrance; the points identified by the May Day Organizing Committee. The main demands of this year's May Day is the transfer of severance pays to fund and an end to the state of emergency.

On the other hand, police forces extended precautions at the gathering points and besieged the areas. Konak Square, Cumhuriyet Square and Alsancak Port are barricaded by the police and the citizens and workers that try to enter the area were all searched.

Aegean Regional Representative Memiş Sarı read out the statement of the organizing committee and called for peace as he emphasized the importance of Kurdish people's democratic demands. Sarı commemorated the people that fell in the struggle for labor, and criticized the government for allocating budget for war but not for workers. The May Day celebration in İzmir ended with the musical performance of the band Moğollar.

AMED

Thousands celebrated May Day at the June 5 (Station) Square in Amed under the lead of DİSK, KESK, TMMOB and the Chamber of Doctors. Signs and banners in Kurdish, Turkish and Zazaki decorated the rally area and protestors condemned the attacks on workers marching to Taksim Square in İstanbul. Representatives from DBP, HDP, ESP, Kurdistan Socialist Party, CHP Amed Branch and other organizations attended the rally.

BES Amed Branch Co-president Bedirhan Çetinkaya spoke on behalf of the organizing committee and criticized the use of emergency decrees to dismiss workers during the state of emergency. DBP Deputy Co-chair Gülcihan Şimşek celebrated workers' May Day and commemorated all those that lost their lives in May Day events and massacres such as the ones in Ankara and Cizre.

HDP Amed MP Feleknas Uca also addressed the crowd and commemorated all the workers killed at work, Soma and Şirvan in the first place. Uca reiterated Kurdish people's demand for a status and the recognition of their will.

Chamber of Doctors Central Council member Dr. Şehmuz Gökalp criticized the dismissal of health workers through the emergency decrees introduced during the state of emergency. The celebration ended after musical performances.

VAN

Masses attended this year's May Day celebration at Musa Anter Peace Park Junction in Van under the lead of KESK, TMMOB, DİSK and TTB. HDP Deputy Co-president Nadir Yıldırım, HDP Van Provincial Co-chair Yakup Ataş, DBP Van Provincial Co- chair Ahmet Aygün, HDP Van parliamentarians Lezgin Botan and Adem Geveri, Peace Mothers, and thousands of people including members of TJA, HDP, DBP, EMEP and ESP attended the celebration.

KESK Van Branches Platform spokesperson Fatma Aslan stated that their struggle for a better future would continue despite all obstacles. DİSK Van Branch Ömer Tekin criticized appointed trustees' dismissal of municipal workers and the ongoing state of emergency.

KESK Central Executive Committee member Fatma Çetintaş described May Day as the day of reckoning for governments that are held hostage by the global capital, and said that workers will always protect their job security and resist dismissals.

EMEP Deputy Co-president Şükran Doğan called on the people and workers to enhance the struggle and emphasized the importance of organization for a society that does not merely obey.

HDP Vice Co-president Nadir Yıldırım described May Day as the Day of Joint Struggle Against Fascism, and called upon everyone to resist fascism in order to prevent further detentions, arrests, emergency decrees and torture. The May Day celebration in Van ended with the musical performance of Mem Ararat.

ADANA

The May Day celebration in Adana was held with the motto “No to state of emergency, statutory decrees, exploitation, poverty, war and fascism” with the participation of crows organised by KESK, DİSK, TMMOB, TTB and Adana Bar Association.

Speaking here, HDP Adana MP Meral Danış Beştaş called attention to the pressure and political genocide operations against the opposition circles, stressing that the people and HDP remained standing despite all the repression.

Referring to 16 April's referendum, Beştaş said 'Yes' won in the rigged referendum through fraud with the help of the Supreme Election Council, stressing that; “Kurds and workers voted against the government because they are being massacred and deprived of security. Those demanding peace are being targeted as the country is being ruled by one man. Our struggle will continue and we will continue our resistance as long as we live. We will resist to victory. We will definitely win.”

MERSİN

Mersin Governorate banned marches to mark the May Day but masses gathered in various locations across the city and marched to the Cumhuriyet Square from various points. Workers of DBP-held Akdeniz Municipality who were dismissed by the appointed trustee were among participants of the May Day event.

Prof. Dr. Atilla Güney who spoke on behalf of the academic dismissed with statutory decrees said the followings; “For many years we told about peace and freedom from university platforms which they have usurped from us now. However, they do not know that everywhere is university to us, including this area where our people are gathered today. Universities are the people and they cannot dismiss the people. We are here. Come and dismiss us from here too if you can.”

ANTALYA

Hundreds gathered at Aydın Kanza Park in Antalya under the lead of KESK, DİSK, TMMOB and TTB and marched to the Cumhuriyet Square, chanting slogans in favor of labour, peace, freedom and peace against dictatorial regime.

MANİSA

Workers in Manisa gathered at Sultan Önü for May Day celebrations. Workers led by the Manisa Labor and Democracy Platform are chanting slogans such as "Long live peoples' fraternity", "Budgets to the worker, not war" and "Workers' unity will defeat the capital" and will march from Sultan Önü to the city center.

AYDIN

May Day Celebrations took place at the City Center in Aydın. Representatives of nongovernmental organizations and parties such as CHP, HDP and EMEP met at the Town Center at 13:00. Musical performances followed the speeches during the rally here.

Thousands also took to the streets in Batman, Dersim, Siirt, Mardin, Hakkari, Kars, Urfa, Adıyaman, Antep, Hatay, Kocaeli, Bursa, Edirne in masses and gave the message “We will never bow and will definitely win” against the fascism of the AKP-MHP alliance that increases its attacks on the peoples and society in Turkey.