Istanbul May Day Lockdown

Istanbul braced for a major security lockdown for May Day on Sunday, with almost 25,000 police on duty and numerous roads closed for an occasion that regularly sees clashes between Turkish protesters and police.

Istanbul went into a security lockdown on today as thousands of Turkish police manned barricades and closed off streets to traffic to stop May Day rallies at the central Taksim Square, a symbolic point for anti-government protests.

Istanbul braced for a major security lockdown for May Day on Sunday, with almost 25,000 police on duty and numerous roads closed for an occasion that regularly sees clashes between Turkish protesters and police.

Istanbul went into a security lockdown on today as thousands of Turkish police manned barricades and closed off streets to traffic to stop May Day rallies at the central Taksim Square, a symbolic point for anti-government protests.