Long live May Day!
In Istanbul, despite the authorities' ban on protests in Taksim Square,
workers and activists refused to stay silent on May Day.
The police responded with force,
arresting 184 people who tried to reach the square.
Leave our comrades alone!
We are going to Taksim Square.
Long live May Day!
“Long live May Day!”
We are not giving up Taksim Square.
The dictators will fall.
Your palaces will be demolished.
The people will prevail.
Come!
Get out of here!
Go!
Tens of thousands of people gathered on the outskirts of Istanbul,
organized by their workers' unions and political parties.
Their message was clear: they are fed up with deteriorating working conditions,
the cost of living crisis, and they want change.
“Taksim Square is everywhere, the revolt is everywhere!”
“Long live May Day!”
“Women, life, freedom!”
With this economic and cost of living crisis
life is really difficult as a female university student.
That's why I'm here on May Day,
to defend my rights and demands.
You will never march alone!
I came here today
to show our strength as organized students and workers.
To show that we're a force against this system.
This capitalist order impoverishes all.
Our wages are disappearing with inflation.
We are being crushed under the economic conditions.
Especially the retired.
The cost of housing and food is really high.
Life is difficult in Turkey if you're a student or unemployed.
“Either all together or none of us!”
This country became hell on earth for workers.
We have the highest rate of workplace homicides in the world
and the second highest in Europe.
Slave-like working conditions became normalized.
Most of our people...
One moment, let me have a look what's going on there.
I'll have a look then come back.
How can you arrest people on May Day?
We are not terrorists or murderers.
You are blocking us on May Day.
You are trying to stop people from joining.
This is a sign that you're done!
Why are you attacking people for no reason?
They are blocking my way as an MP.
Disperse finally! That's all it takes.
You saw what just happened.
This country became a police state.
People struggle to breathe under all forms of police brutality.
This May Day is also a gasp for air.
We've come to the end of this.
The election is coming up,
but this is about more than just an election.
The people are increasingly angry.
The government is ready to do anything
but as you saw this anger is ready to crush everything.
“For justice!”
“For democracy!”
“For peace!”
“For the struggle!”
“We give our word!”
They say our union is not legal.
They constantly close it.
A society without union and organization
is doomed to perish, to be chained.
Our rights were never given to us.
We fought for them.
Without the unions
we'll live under a capitalist order that does as it wishes.
As Turkey prepares for the upcoming elections on May 14th, 2023,
President Erdoğan is facing his toughest electoral battle yet.
After 21 years in power, polls suggest that he does not have the support
of the majority of the electorate,
with many voters disillusioned with his leadership.
There's an important election coming up [14 May].
This election will be about freedom, justice and labor
against oppression.
For a long time Turkey has been governed by an anti-democratic ruler.
If we carry on under this government
everything will just get worse.
I have nothing good to say about this person [President Erdoğan].
He destroyed my youth
and took every penny I had.
I hope this election won't be another disappointment
and this time we push him off his throne.
The May Day protests in Istanbul were a reflection of this discontent.
Workers and activists from all walks of life
came together to demand better working conditions,
greater economic stability, and an end to Erdoğan's long rule.
Despite the police crackdown, their voices were heard loud and clear.