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Interior Minister Yerlikaya announced that 217 protestors detained during Workers' Day celebrations in Istanbul.

Istanbul Governor's office announced that it lifted some of the travel and transportation restrictions imposed on the megacity to prevent Workers' Day celebrations.

The Taksim Square and the leading routes have been still under police blockade.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that police detained 210 protestors.

In its latest update, The Progressive Lawyers' Association of Turkey (ÇHD) has announced that police detained at least 216 people during Workers' Day marches across the city.

Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya thanked the police officers who attacked the workers who wanted to celebrate Workers' Day in Taksim Square with tear gas and rubber bullets, saying "I am proud of you." He stated that Turkish police "set an example for all police organizations in the world on how social events should be managed."

The Progressive Lawyers' Association of Turkey (ÇHD) has announced that police detained at least 205 people during Workers' Day marches across the city.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party and the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) announced that they would remain at the hold-up point with the workers, continuing to demand passage to Taksim Square.

"We shall not leave until the working people leave," declared DEM Party co-chair Tuncer Bakırhan. 

Meanwhile, police intervention continues at intervals. 

The prominent left-wing DİSK (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions) and KESK (Confederation of Public Laborers' Union) have announced at the Aqueduct of Valens that they would no longer push to reach Taksim Square.

KESK chair Sevgi Yılmaz said that they made the decision after facing intense pushback from the police. "We were met with such violence that we cannot in good conscience direct the crowd further. Pushing to march to Taksim Square would bear other risks, she said to Halk TV.

The crowd booed as the organization committee announced the decision. 

Several other unions said they would heed the committee's call. 

Marching workers were stopped by the police barricades at the historical Aqueduct. Union leaders tried to negotiate with the police to allow passage, to no avail. 

Turkish police began to attack workers waiting in the Aqueduct of Valens in order to march to Taksim Square.

The police used pepper spray against the workers at close range after they began to push barricades.

Despite heavy police blockade, workers arrived Aqueduct of Valens in order to march to Taksim Square.

Participants shout, "Everywhere Taksim, everywhere resistance."

Labor unions have been waiting to march Taksim Square as the main destination.

The main opposition Republican People's Party chair Özgür Özel and Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu also arrived at Saraçhane Square.

Özel held a meeting with the police chief for the removal of the obstacles to the march and announced that their demands were not accepted by the police.

Afterward, Özel and İmamoğlu joined the march towards Taksim, arm in arm with the union chairs.

The police intervened the People's Liberation Party members who wanted to march to Taksim Square in nearby Beşiktaş district's Barbaros Boulevard and detained 30.

Beşiktaş district is one of the gathering points for the main march in Taksim Square.

Many workers began to gather in Saraçhane Square and nearby roads in order to march to Taksim Square.

Members of the left-wing organization Youth Committees were attacked by the police before reaching Taksim Square after marching through the side streets leading to Istiklal Avenue with the slogan "Long Live May Day." The police detained 15 people.

Conservative labor union HAK-İŞ Chair Mahmut Arslan and the accompanying delegation laid a wreath at the Republic Monument in Taksim Square to commemorate those who lost their lives on May 1, 1977, during a gun attack on the celebrations.

Since Taksim Square is banned for any celebrations, the government only allows labor union representatives to organize a short vigil which most unions refused to participate in this year.

Most labor unions, political parties, and civil society organizations started to gather in Saraçhane Square in the Fatih district in order to march to Taksim afterward.

Workers who want to enter the area are subjected to body searches.

The road leading to Taksim Square was blocked with police barriers and armored water cannons (TOMA).A large number of police forces were also deployed in the Aqueduct of Valens, near Saraçhane.

April 30

The Governor’s Office in Istanbul on April 30 announced road closures and public transit limitations to prevent the May 1 Workers’ Day celebrations in the megacity. 

Here is Gazete Duvar's footage from Istanbul under lockdown:

Istanbul Governor puts megacity under lockdown for Workers’ DayDomestic