Dozens of arrests made in Turkey ahead of 1 May celebrations, Istanbul prosecutor says

News World Turkey {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/www.euronews.com"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"http:\/\/www.euronews.com\/news"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"World","item":"http:\/\/www.euronews.com\/news\/international"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Turkey","item":"http:\/\/www.euronews.com\/news\/europe\/turkey"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"Dozens of arrests made in Turkey ahead of 1 May celebrations, Istanbul prosecutor says"}]} Dozens of arrests made in Turkey ahead of 1 May celebrations, Istanbul prosecutor says Riot police officers stand guard blocking the route to protesters as Union members march during Labour Day celebrations in Istanbul, 1 May, 2024 - Copyright AP Photo Copyright AP Photo By Burcu Basaran & Gavin Blackburn Published on 28/04/2026 - 14:20 GMT+2 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp The day, which celebrates workers and the working classes, usually sees a major police deployment in Turkey every year. Nearly 40 people, including journalists, trade unionists and opposition figures, were arrested in Istanbul on Tuesday ahead of International Workers' Day on 1 May, which has traditionally seen a police crackdown. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The prosecutor general's office in the city told reporters that arrest and search warrants had been issued against 62 people, of whom 46 it deemed "likely to carry out attacks." Of the 46, 39 were detained in Istanbul and in the nearby Kocaeli area, it added. Turkey's MLSA, a press and legal freedom body, said police raids had been carried out at the home of a lawyer and the offices of opposition newspapers Özgür Gelecek and Yeni Demokrasi, where the doors were "kicked in." According to a lawyer, Serhat Alan, whose home was searched, "custody documents concerning 46 people were presented to him," the MLSA said. Union members clash with Turkish riot police as they march during Labour Day celebrations in Istanbul, 1 May, 2024 AP Photo "Since this case is subject to a 24-hour confidentiality order, restrictions have been imposed on access to lawyers," it added. The main pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), which is the third-largest in the Turkish parliament, denounced what it said were "operations targeting the left and socialists" as well as student organisations before 1 May. "Numerous comrades have been taken into custody," it said, adding that the actions were aimed at "shrinking the space for democratic politics" and that they would "deepen social tensions." The annual day, which celebrates workers and the working classes, usually sees a major police deployment in Turkey every year, with a large area in the heart of Istanbul around Taksim Square sealed off on the previous evening. Last year, protests moved to the Kadıköy area of the city and more than 400 people were arrested. Additional sources • AFP Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Read more Dozens of Turkish coal miners detained after march for unpaid wages Turkey arrests 90 people with suspected links to so-called Islamic State group Nine dead and 13 injured in second school shooting in Turkey this week, governor says Police Arrest İstanbul 1st of May Turkiye (Turkey) custody ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Top stories EU 'ready' to sanction…

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