May Day protesters clash with police in Istanbul (video)
Participants of a May Day march in Istanbul today attempted enter Taksim square which was cordoned off by police. Police used force to disperse May Day demonstrators at Taksim Square, after some members of Turkey's Communist Party defied a ban and launched a blitz, trying to enter the square by leaving a nearby hotel. This causes a stir in the square. The city was under a security lockdown as thousands of police manned barricades and closed streets to stop demonstrations at Taksim. Security forces pushed back demonstrators using water cannons and tear gas. Protesters retaliated by throwing stones and hurling firecrackers at police. Riot police chased protesters down sidestreets in the nearby Besiktas neighborhood, where they fired off canisters of tear gas, according to a Reuters reporter at the scene. Clashes continued in the neibouring streets.Several people were detained after demonstrators lobbed stones and bottles at police and set off fireworks. Citing security concerns, much of Istanbul's public transport had been shut down and police helicopters circled over the city, says the source. Protests are also taking place in cities across Turkey.
