Hundreds of people arrested during Mayday protests in Istanbul
Hundreds of people were arrested in Istanbul, and 50,000 police officers were deployed to the city as authorities tried to protest in May.
Public transport has been shut down to prevent people from reaching Taksim Square, and demonstrations have been banned since 2013.
Video from the Turkish capital shows the riots clashes between police and protesters as police forcefully send detainees onto buses.
The city held huge protests in March after the arrest of Turkish President Erdogan's main rival Ekrem Imamoglu.
On May 1 each year, a parade led by workers and unions is part of the International Labor Day celebrations in many countries.
Taksim Square in the heart of Istanbul is under tight locks, with police and metal barriers along all roads leading to the area.
Authorities have been determined that perhaps more than ever to ensure there are no major protests in the square and that they have enough riot police to ensure that.
The square is usually busy with bustling crowds, looking lifeless, with restaurants and shops sealed off.
The only way to pass is through the police. Several unions were allowed briefly into Taksim with red banners and flowers.
A spokesman stood in front of the Republic monument to commemorate the establishment of modern Turkey, and a spokesman complained about the restrictions they faced. Canon's truck was parked for a short distance.
On the road leading to the square, a group of visitors would walk over from time to time, dragging their suitcases, unsure where they could go and could not reach the taxi.
According to AFP, the square was sealed for several days before May 1.
He told AFP that a student named Murat said the streets had been blocked…it seemed to be a state of emergency”.
“We are not allowed to enter the square… the small group we were tortured was taken away. This is not the first time we faced. This may not be the last.”
On Wednesday, 100 people were detained on suspicion of planning to protest in the square.
City authorities said Thursday that 382 people were arrested for “unauthorized demonstrations.”
Rights group Amnesty International urges Türkiye to lift its ban on the Taksim demonstrations.
European amnesty expert Dinushika Dissanayake said the restrictions were “based on completely false security and public order.”
In a statement, the group called on officials to respect the right to protest and “not use force against peaceful protesters.”
Ekrem Imamoglu's arrest in March sparked mass protests on the streets of Istanbul as thousands of pro-democracy protesters came out to support the mayor of Istanbul, who was sentenced to jail on charges of corruption.
He said his arrest was political, but the government denied it and insisted that the Turkish court was completely independent.
Since 2019, Imamoglu has been widely regarded as the only politician who can challenge Erdogan in the 2028 general election. Imamoglu was identified as a candidate for the opposition party.
Erdogan has been in power for more than 20 years and was the first to serve as prime minister, then president in 2014. Unless he changes Türkiye's constitution, he will not be able to run for president again after 2028.