Istanbul under lockdown to thwart May Day protests

Reports of small-scale clashes come as Turkish police block all access to Taksim Square to prevent Labour Day protests.

 

Usually busy streets were seen empty as police blocked access to prevent people from gathering [Reuters]

Turkish police have put Istanbul under a security lockdown to thwart demonstrations on a tense Labour Day, with roads to the city centre shut and public transport severely restricted.
Police on Friday tightened security, blocking all vehicle access to the central Taksim Square, and halting accessibility by public transport. At least 10,000 police were mobilised as a preventative measure.
Al Jazeera's Can Hasasu, reporting from Istanbul's central Besiktas district, said that about 2,000 people from leftist groups had gathered there.
While Besiktas remained peaceful, our correspondent said there were reports that police used tear gas and water cannons and arrested some protesters in Okmeydani district. That area has been a protest hotspot since anti-government clashes rocked Istanbul in 2013.
The governor of Istanbul, Vasip Sahin, said demonstrations would not be allowed in Taksim Square as the area was "not adapted to the commemorations for May 1" and there was a risk to "security and property".
Security checkpoints restricting access to residents only and preventing groups from entering were set up in the Taksim area.
Unions and activists have made clear they still intend to take to the streets, in defiance of the restrictions.
Labour Day has seen recurring clashes in previous years between security forces and leftist protesters.
This year's demonstrations come just two months after parliament passed a controversial security bill giving the police greater powers to crack down on protests.