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Update: Turkish police clash with May Day protesters

Xinhua, May 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

Turkish riot police fired water cannon and tear gas to disperse May Day protesters who intended to march from several districts of Istanbul to iconic Taksim Square on Friday.

Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said in a statement that a total of 203 people were detained. Five policemen and 18 demonstrators were injured.

Early in the morning, opposition parties and some unions led their members and union workers to march to the square from the nearby Besiktas neighborhood.

Only a small group of unionists were allowed into the square for a moderate remembrance ceremony for the victims of the May Day 1977, when 34 people were killed.

Turkish police have lockdowned the city from Thursday night with extensive security measures to prevent the protesters from gathering in Taksim. More than 20,000 police have been deployed on the ground.

Over 60 anti-riot water cannon vehicles have also been positioned around the main districts. All the roads heading to the square have been cordoned off by the riot police.

In 1977, 34 workers were killed in May Day celebrations held in the Taksim Square when the police opened fire against the protesters. Since then, Turkey's workers unions and laborers insisted on commemorating the killings in Taksim every year.

In June 2013, Taksim Square and neighboring Gezi Park have witnessed massive anti-government movement and protests to express frustrations with the ruling Justice and Development Party. The protests were later ended forcefully by the police.

On Wednesday, an Istanbul court acquitted 26 people charged with helping to launch the 2013 protests, saying that there was insufficient evidence to prove them guilty.

However, hundreds of others in the country are still facing charges of alleged crimes related to the mass protests. Endit