Erdogan acknowledges members of parliament from his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara.
DPA/Reuters/Istanbul
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that the government would not allow May Day rallies to be held in Istanbul's iconic Taksim Square, potentially setting the scene for violent clashes.
Unions have demanded that the square, the scene of numerous anti-government protests in the past year, be made available for the Labour Day events.
"Give up your hope of Taksim," Erdogan said at a meeting of AK lawmakers in parliament. "The people do not want to see protesters clashing with police in the street. The people don't want streets scenes dominated by stones, sticks and Molotov cocktails."
Police clashed with union activists at the square on Monday, using tear gas to disperse members who tried to read out a statement.
Erdogan's decision is backed by Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu, also a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Mutlu has said alternative locations in Istanbul were being offered to the unions.
One union confederation, DISK, argued that a 2012 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which said the Turkish government had violated the principle of freedom of assembly by intervening in earlier Taksim May Day celebrations, gave them the right to rally at the square.
"Disregarding this decision is to ignore the law. We declare once again: On May 1, we will be in Taksim," DISK said in Monday's statement.
Thousands of police are likely to be on duty in central Istanbul to prevent that happening.
In 1977, 34 people were killed in clashes on May 1 in Taksim, and the site was banned for use by labour movements until 2010.
The ban was brought back in 2013, but activists ignored the government order and tried to reach the square, setting of clashes with police.
A month later, mass anti-government protests emerged from Taksim and the nearby Gezi Park and spread nationwide.
They were eventually crushed by police.
The AKP last month swept local elections, securing 45% of the vote, as the Gezi protests and a serious of corruption scandals appeared not to taint the party's popularity.
Presidential elections are set for August with Erdogan expected to run for the top job.
