Pictures of yesterday’s events in Istanbul shocked the nation. PM Erdogan, the AKP government, Istanbul’s governor and security chief are being accused for the use of extreme force by the police that used gas bombs, pepper gas, water cannons and clubs against workers who wanted to celebrate May Day in Istanbul’s Taksim square. The events took place at locations miles away from Taksim square and even spread to inter-city highways where buses were stopped to prevent any worker from reaching Istanbul.
About 30 thousand police officers were on duty preventing workers from even gathering at any point in the city. About 40 people were wounded and 530 detained by the police.
Source: Vatan, Milliyet, Hurriyet, Cumhuriyet, Turkey, May 2, 2008
