Turkey May Day Rally

Turkish police today clamped down on unauthorised protests during a tense May Day in Istanbul, using tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators and imposing a heavy security blanket on the city.

Tens of thousands of people across the globe were hitting the streets on Thursday for mass rallies marking International Labour Day, with Turkey a potential flashpoint on the anniversary of clashes that spawned a nationwide protest movement.

Turkish police today clamped down on unauthorised protests during a tense May Day in Istanbul, using tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators and imposing a heavy security blanket on the city.

Tens of thousands of people across the globe were hitting the streets on Thursday for mass rallies marking International Labour Day, with Turkey a potential flashpoint on the anniversary of clashes that spawned a nationwide protest movement.