site.btaIstanbul Locks Down Key Transport Routes on Labour Day amid Tight Security

Istanbul woke up to land and sea transport disruptions on May 1 as authorities imposed extensive security measures in connection with Labour Day events.

By order of the Istanbul Governor's office, numerous roads, ferry lines and public transport routes were blocked, the Milliyet daily reported. Metro and funicular services were suspended at some ten central stations near Taksim Square and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Istanbul's central Taksim Square was sealed off with crowd control barriers, and thousands of police officers were deployed to restrict access, including from side streets leading to Taksim and the Beyoglu district. The nostalgic tram on Istiklal Avenue was also halted.

The Marmaray railway line was suspended at Sirkeci Station, cutting off rail connections between the European and Asian sides of the city. Passenger ferries and metrobus services across the Bosphorus Bridge were also suspended.

Authorities approved a Labour and Solidarity Day rally in Kadikoy Square on the Asian side, as announced by the DISK trade union.

Labour and Solidarity Day celebrations were officially permitted in Turkiye in 2009, following a decades-long ban. In past years, violent clashes with police occurred during protests, especially in Istanbul. Turkish media recalled the 1977 clashes in Taksim Square, where nearly 40 people were killed and around 200 injured on Labour Day.