İSTANBUL - Police, preventing the symbolic May Day celebration in Taksim Square, detained many people including DİSK President Arzu Çerkezoğlu.

 

Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), Confederation of Public Labourers' Union (KESK), Turkish Medical Association (TTB), and Union of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) which decided to celebrate May Day everywhere they are, due to the coronavirus, instead of mass celebrations. 

 

Today, labour organizations and professional organizations who planned to celebrate May Day in front of Taksim Monument, made a call to celebrate the May Day in the balconies at 21.00 tonight.

 

However, DİSK building in Beşiktaş was blockaded by the police before the symbolic celebration. DİSK made a written statement yesterday that they will place a wreate in front of the Taksim Monument today at 09.00 AM. 

 

Despite the police blockade in front of the DİSK building, DİSK President Arzu Çerkezoğlu and union executives with the confederation got out of the building with the wreathe. But the group was stopped by the police who told them they will not allow the group to march to Taksim. When the group lead by Arzu Çerkezoğlu insisted on marching to Taksim, polive intervened the group, taking them into custody.

 

Many people were taken into custody, including DİSK President Arzu Çerkezoğlu.