HDP Co-president Figen Yüksekdağ joined trade unionists meeting in Beşiktaş before marching to Taksim and called for the barricades around Taksim Square to be removed. She said: "On 7 June we will demolish the political barricades, too.”

HDP members, including Co-president Figen Yüksekdağ and HDP MPs Pervin Buldan, Sabahat Tuncel and Halil Aksoy joined workers who met in Beşiktaş prior to marching towards Taksim Square. Yüksekdağ made a short speech, saying Istanbul had been turned into a city under a state of emergency, adding: "The siege that began several days ago has been extended. We would like a May Day where workers are free. People who are being prevented from reaching Taksim only have carnations in their hands.”

The barricades must be removed

Figen Yüksekdağ called on the AKP government, saying: "We would like to see all the barricades around Taksim removed. There is a state of emergency and a kind of battle in Istanbul today. The people being prevented from reaching Taksim only have carnations in their hands." She added that on 7 June they would also demolish political barricades.

The HDP delegation then danced the halay with the workers.