May Day in Istanbul’s Taksim Square – A Celebration or a Riot?

May Day in Istanbul and Taksim Square is marred by riots as others peacefully enjoy the holiday in other parts of the city. But why does this happen here?

International Worker’s Day on May 1^st is a worldwide labour movement across 80 countries celebrating workers and their rights. For many, it’s a call to action, marked by peaceful rallies and community celebrations. For others, it’s a show of defiance.

Turkey is no exception to the rule, and in the heart of Istanbul, May Day marks a struggle between unions and the increasingly strict political system. After the events on May 1 in 1977, when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a crowd of more than 500,000 people, in which 36 people died, Taksim Square remained closed to celebrations until 2010.

When I was there in 2014, the government once again put a ban on any celebrations from taking place in Taksim Square and Gezi Park, citing intelligence reports of a potential presence of terrorist-related organisations. Despite the ban, and in exercising their right to celebrate on May Day, Turkey’s major unions insisted on continuing their rallies.

Before May Day in Istanbul

Because the ban was seen as irrational, protests took place before May 1st, appealing to the court to lift it. It was later rejected.

I arrived in Istanbul a week before May Day, where riot police and riot vans were already stationed in Taksim Square, a dominating force against the very small groups of protesters.

Two days before May Day, life in the Taksim Square continued as normal against the sporadic scattering of police fences.

The Reality of May Day in Istanbul

What appeared calm and normal soon escalated into sporadic riots. Neighbourhood junctions were blockaded, leaving many frustrated tourists trapped and bewildered. Elsewhere, groups of police dominated the main roads, trying to determine which part of the neighbourhood the protesters were moving through.

We came across one group of around 50 protesters, dressed in red masks and hard hats, with the ‘leaders’ amongst them armed with gas masks and catapults. What followed was a clash of firecrackers and Molotov cocktails against tear gas.

Who fired first was hard to tell, since the breakouts were quickly clocked in smoke. My initial thought was that this was about more than just a group of people wanting to celebrate May Day in Taksim Square and protesting the ban. 

Many of the protesters were young, some still in their teens, and it appeared a mob mentality was easily stirred, and that violence was on the agenda, no matter what.

On the other hand, police seemed fierce in how they approached the protesters and where they fired their weapons, injuring innocent people in the process and gassing out local businesses (where locals and tourists like myself took cover).

Elsewhere in Istanbul, celebrations included public concerts and picnics in parks that stretched all the way to the Asia side.

Unfortunately, I was unable to get out of the Taksim to experience such festivities; instead, I was caged within the heart of this incredible city against my own will, the act of which, in principle, will no doubt always remain at the core of this annual conflict. 

Further Reading

Planning a trip to Turkey and don’t know where to start? 

READ MORE: Travel to Turkey Guide – The Reality of Modern-Day Tourism.