Police has attacked thousands of people marching from Şişli to Taksim Square for 1 May celebrations in Istanbul on Wednesday.

The march is led by DISK (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions) and joined by a number of trade unions and political parties.

Police, using tear gas and pressure water, attacked the crowd as they started to march to Taksim Square where celebrations are not allowed, officially because of the renovation work going on in the area. Demonstrators responded to police attack with molotov cocktails and stones. Clashes in Beşiktaş are continuing.

Raid against demonstrators begun early in the morning. At least three demonstrators and a reporter were injured during the crackdown and hospitalized, according to some reports.

The police crackdown on demonstrators in Şişli continues.

Şişli is under a cloud of tear gas.

DISK chairman Kani Beko negotiated with police officials to convince them to allow the march. Police insists the gathering was illegal.

Public transport in Istanbul is severely restricted as local authorities take precautions to prevent any march reaching Taksim. Istanbul’s metro had been suspended between Şişhane and Taksim stations, and between Taksim and Levent stations at 6am this morning. The Taksim-Kabataş funicular also stopped at 6am.

All ferry and boat services from the Anatolian side of the city to the European have been suspended from 6am and the metrobus has stopped service at 5am.

Clashes in Şişli are continuing with press members in the area are also being targeted by tear gas and pressure water. Chairmen of Enerji-Sen and Nakliyat-İş unions have also been injured in the police attack. Police has entered DISK central office and attacked the unionists inside with tear gas. Four people here have been rushed to hospital following the police attack.

Police has once again attacked the crowd at Barbaros Square in Beşiktaş. A number of people were injured during the police attack, one of them reported to have suffered heart attack. Ambulances were also denied permission to enter the area for some time.

On the other hand, hundreds of demonstrators who gathered in front of Bilgi University in Dolapdere have built barricades on the main street, responding to police intervention with molotov cocktails.