Turkish police fire tear gas and detain dozens of May Day protesters in Istanbul
Turkish riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse May Day demonstrators attempting to reach Istanbul’s Taksim Square. Dozens of protesters were detained, and President Erdogan had previously stated that the square would not be open for the annual protests. Despite the ban, workers and labor union members gathered in Sarachane neighborhood to march against inflation and economic difficulties. Over 42,000 police officers were deployed in Istanbul for the demonstrations, which have historically been held in Taksim Square.