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The three main Turkish trade union centres have condemned the tear gas attack on May Day marchers in Istanbul.

The unions intend to seek prosecutions against the government, the governor of Istanbul and the security chief following the events of May Day, which included beatings of trade unionists, the use of rubber bullets and the blocking of buses from crossing the Bosphorous.



DISK members on May Day march



The trade union centres have blamed the events on “police terrorism”, which forced a halt to the May Day celebrations.

“We will also take the case to the European Court of Human Rights,” said Basin-Is, DISK and KESK in a joint statement.

The clashes occurred when thousands of police and security forces blocked the May Day march from reaching the traditional heart of Athens - Taksim Square.

“We will be on Taksim next year,”+ said the union centres.

The square has added significance for the labor movement in Turkey since the shooting of 37 workers there by an unknown gunman in 1977.

UNI affiliates - Basin-Is, Turkiye Haber-Is and Tez Koop-Is (affiliated to Turk-Is); Bank-Sen (affiliated to DISK) and Haber-Sen (affiliated to KESK) all saw the violence at first hand during the attacks on the May Day march.

UNI Graphical’s Adriana Rosenzvaig - in Istanbul on project work - was in the DISK building on May Day and witnessed the police attack.