Turkish police have arrested dozens of protesters trying to reach Istanbul’s central Taksim Square for May Day demonstrations against the financial hardship caused by raging inflation.
The Istanbul governor’s office had allowed May Day celebrations in another area and ruled that rallies in all other locations were illegal.
A Reuters reporter saw police clashing with protesters and handcuffing them, in images broadcast by Turkish television networks.
Police also arrested 30 people in central Besiktas and another 22 in the Sisli area, Demiroren news agency reported.
In a statement, the Istanbul governor’s office said today that 164 protesters had been arrested across the city for “attempting to carry out illegal demonstrations”.
Turkey’s annual inflation is expected to rise to 68% in April due to the Russia-Ukraine war and rising commodity prices, falling only slightly by the end of the year, according to Reuters.
Rising inflation and the economic hardship it causes were at the center of this May Day demonstrations in the country.
“Our main issue this year should have been the cost of living,” said Ergun Atalay, president of the Turk-Is union, as he laid a wreath at Taksim Square and called for the monthly wage to be adjusted to reflect rising prices.
“Inflation is announced at the beginning of each month. The rate of inflation should be added to wages every month,” he said.
Source: Capital
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