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ISTANBUL (DIHA) –Taksim Square, which was 32 years after opened to the public for the celebration of May Day, witnessed an exuberant celebration. 500 thousands attendees cheered as “Long Live May Day.”
Preparation lasted for days for May Day celebration finally finished by an exuberant ceremony in Taksim Square. 500 thousands of workers and friend of workers gathered in Taksim Square after 32 years. Banners, slogans, flags and songs mostly marked peace and brotherhood of people in Turkey.
20 thousands of police took widespread security measures around Taksim Square from yesterday as well as workers’ organizations and parties’ preparation for huge demonstration.
DİSK, KESK, Turk-Iş, Kamu-Sen, Hak-Iş and Memur-Sen as all federations of workers’ in Turkey and BDP, ODP, ESP, EDP, EHP, EMEP, SDP, CHP, SHP and the numerous NGOs for human, women, children and workers rights were all together in Taksim. There were three different branches due to entering Taksim Square. Attendees began to flooding in the square from early morning. Gathering took 3 hours and then celebration was begun by May Day march. Then leader of confederations made short speeches in turn.
Turk-iş leader Mustafa Kumlu was protested by TEKEL workers who were member of Turk-is and fired beginning of this year. Kumlu succeeded to run from this attack but Sağlik-Sen Trade Unions leader Mahmut Kacar was hurt when he was trying to protect Kumlu.
The next speaker was KESK leader Sami Evren welcomed by attendees and speeches of other leaders of Confederations were made without incidents.
Some noteworthy points in the rally;
*37 May Day martyrs have been commemorated by their pictures and during the speeches also.
*May Day March practiced in any occasion from 8:00 AM until 15.30 PM.
*National and International Press were there as full complement. The platforms prepared for press weren’t enough and most of press created their own platforms.
*Seeing the square was impossible because of huge banners and the square became a sea of colors.
* Interpreters from TV or newspapers particularly pointed out that there were no unwanted events during the celebration because of no police intervention.
*1500 volunteer behalf of the confederations were also in charge for security of the attendees.
* The number of attendees was more than expected in everywhere such as Ankara and Eastern and Southeastern Turkey.
The 36 people killed in Taksim Square on “Bloody 1 May” in 1977. Last May Day celebration in Taksim was in 1978. The state of emergency practiced and then September 12, 80 coup banned all kind of celebration in May Day. There was no permission to celebrate May Day in Taksim Square until this day, even though coup had been lifted by the elections. AKP announced that May Day is holiday last year and this year one more step has been taken by making it free to celebrate May Day in Taksim Square in Istanbul.
(gü)