Istanbul shuts down transport to block May Day protests in Taksim Square

Istanbul enforces citywide shutdown and mass arrests to prevent Labour Day rallies as opposition tension rises.

Taksim Square holds major symbolic importance for Turkey's trade union and workers' movements, according to Amnesty International. Photo by Ed Jones/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Istanbul officials shut down large parts of the city’s transport network on Wednesday in a sweeping crackdown aimed at preventing May Day rallies in the historically symbolic Taksim Square. The move, which paralyzed metro lines, buses, and Bosphorus ferry routes, comes as part of broader government efforts to suppress protests and maintain tight control over political opposition.

Authorities confirmed the closure of seven metro stations and several key bus and tram lines across Turkey’s largest city. These restrictions, imposed ahead of May 1 Labour Day, reflect long-standing tensions surrounding demonstrations in Taksim, a square deeply associated with workers’ rights and past political uprisings.

Over 100 arrested ahead of planned protests

Turkish police preemptively arrested more than 100 individuals accused of organizing or intending to join banned rallies at Taksim Square. The arrests began earlier in the week, with Istanbul’s chief prosecutor issuing warrants for at least 108 people linked to May Day activities. These arrests continued through Wednesday, signaling a zero-tolerance stance from state authorities.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul emphasized that any attempt to gather in Taksim would be prosecuted, maintaining the government's line that such assemblies pose a threat to public order.

Despite this, trade unions and rights organizations have called on the public to resist the restrictions. The DISK labor union, one of Turkey’s largest, said it would gather in Kadikoy, a district on the Asian side of the city, after being barred from the central square.

A decade-long ban in Taksim

Since the mass anti-government demonstrations of 2013, sparked by the Gezi Park protests near Taksim Square, Turkish authorities have consistently banned public gatherings at the site. The crackdown during those protests resulted in the deaths of eight people and galvanized a wave of resistance across the country. In the years since, Taksim has been fenced off annually during politically sensitive events such as May Day, International Women’s Day, and Pride Month.

Wednesday’s city lockdown mirrors that legacy, with metal barricades and thousands of police officers deployed across strategic locations. Access to the Palace of Justice and the municipal headquarters has also been restricted.

The decision to re-seal Taksim followed the controversial arrest and imprisonment of Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul’s mayor and the presidential candidate for the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). His detention has reignited mass demonstrations in Istanbul and raised fears about the erosion of democratic norms in Turkey.

Amnesty International slams the ban

Amnesty International strongly condemned the Turkish government’s ban on May Day rallies, calling it "entirely spurious" and urging authorities to reverse course. Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty’s Europe program director, said the government’s justification of public order concerns was an insufficient and unlawful basis for the restriction.

"The restrictions on May Day celebrations in Taksim Square are based on entirely spurious security and public order grounds and must be urgently lifted," Dissanayake said, calling for respect for Turkey’s obligations under international human rights law.

The organization also pointed to a landmark 2023 ruling by Turkey’s Constitutional Court, which found that preventing May Day rallies in Taksim violated unions’ rights to freedom of assembly. Despite this legal precedent, authorities continue to block access to the square, citing vague security risks.

Widening political rift

The sweeping shutdown of Istanbul’s transit system and the preemptive arrests come amid a broader political showdown between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government and the opposition CHP. The detention of Imamoglu, Erdogan’s most prominent rival and a symbol of resistance for many secular and liberal Turks, has intensified political divisions.

Imamoglu, who won Istanbul’s mayoral race in 2019 despite heavy government interference, has long been seen as a potential successor to Erdogan. His arrest last month on what critics have described as politically motivated charges has further galvanized the opposition, drawing thousands into the streets in protest.

Taksim Square, already a flashpoint in Turkish political memory, has once again become a focal point for dissent—albeit now cordoned off and under the watch of thousands of riot police.

Labour Day under surveillance

For many Turks, Labour Day has become less about celebration and more about navigating repression. The annual ritual of mass arrests, city closures, and heavy-handed policing has turned what was once a day of worker solidarity into a test of civil liberties.

In Istanbul, attempts to commemorate the day are routinely met with swift crackdowns. Police on Wednesday detained another 20 people believed to be coordinating protests. The DISK union’s media head, Turgut Delioglu, told AFP that union members would still gather in Kadikoy, despite the growing number of arrests.

Delioglu said the movement would continue to advocate for the right to public assembly, no matter how restrictive the government's approach. “The government fears the people,” he said, “and it fears Taksim because of what it symbolizes—resistance.”

Taksim remains a battleground

The government’s relentless efforts to seal off Taksim and prevent public demonstrations underscore the square’s symbolic importance. For decades, it has served as the heart of political expression in Istanbul—first as a site for union gatherings, then as the epicenter of mass protests.

Even with metal barricades and police patrols, the memory of Taksim as a place of defiance endures. The continued government clampdowns may only reinforce its symbolic power.

As the sun sets on Istanbul this May Day, with its ferries docked and subway tunnels closed, the question remains: how long can a government maintain order by suppressing voices instead of engaging them?

The crackdown on the Istanbul May Day protests this year is not just about one day. It is a reflection of a nation grappling with its democratic future, one metro station and one barricaded square at a time.