Turkey: For the right to celebrate May Day in Taksim Square

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaign.cgi?c=2269




Turkey's first mass May Day demonstrations in Istanbul's Taksim Square took place in 1976, with the participation of hundreds of thousands. A year later, half a million people took part -- but 37 were killed by gunfire. No one has ever been prosecuted for this crime, and for decades the government banned May Day celebrations in Taksim. Attempts to meet there have been met by tear gas, violence and arrests. The violence peaked in 2013 when hundreds were injured. This year, when unions including DISK, KESK and the Chambers of Medicine and Engineers announced that they would once again attempt to commemorate May Day in Taksim, the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan responded by announcing a ban on the event. When union leaders attempted to hold a small press conference in late April, police responded with tear gas and more arrests. Turkey's trade unionists are demanding their right to celebrate May Day peacefully in Taksim Square, to commemorate the martyrs from 1977, and to call for trade union freedom, a more democratic society, an end to precarious work and better working conditions.

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In partnership with DISK, the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey, and KESK, the Confederation of Public Workers' Unions.