May 1 Celebrations in İstanbul: No to war and exploitation

2022-05-01 14:35:56


	 

	İSTANBUL -  Workers, laborers, women and youth, who flocked to the May Day celebration area for a world without war and exploitation with the spirit of unity, solidarity and struggle, reached Maltepe Square with their demands. Slogans of resistance and struggle are rising in front of the stage.

	 

	People are flocking to the area where the May Day celebrations will be held within the scope of the May 1 Unity, Solidarity and Struggle Day. The rally was organized under the leadership of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DISK), the Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK), the Union of Turkish Chambers of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB), the Turkish Dentists' Association (TDB) and the Turkish Medical Association (TTB); non-governmental organizations, political parties, associations and political structures filled the field shoulder to shoulder with the motto "We will win together". Hours before the celebration, the workers met at the Idealtepe stop of Marmaray with their slogans, as well as banners expressing their demands.

	

	Workers flocking to the celebration areas in corteges from different parts of the city sang the May 1 March together, dancing the halay.

	 

	DİSK, KESK, TMMOB, TTB and TDB's banners "Together we will change" were carried in front of the crowd, who marched in two lines in corteges with their banners emphasizing the common struggle against war and exploitation.

	 

	HDP CO-CHAIR MARCHING WITH THE CROWD

	 

	Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Pervin Buldan also participated in the march. After joining the march of the Peace Mothers Initiative with the banner "Em li dijî şer Aşitîyê diparezen" (We defend peace against war), Buldan entered the celebration area with the banner "Together we will change".

	 

	DEMANDS OF THE PEOPLE REFLECTS TO BANNERS

	 

	The people shouted slogans such as, "A time will come, things will change, AKP will be accountable in front of the people', 'We march to stregthen the struggle and hope against exploitation and precarity', 'Shoulder to shoulder against fascism', 'Gezi is the people, people can not be prosecuted', 'Everywhere is Taksim, resistance everywhere'.

	 

	GREETINGS TO IMRALI

	 

	Attracting attention with their white scarves and national dresses, the Peace Mothers chanted anti-war slogans, carrying banners written, "Women don't want to fight, now is the time for women". The crowd chanted slogans such as “No war, peace now”, “Bimre îxanet” and, "Greetings, greetings, greetings to İmralı as well as the slogan “Aysel Tuğluk rumeta me ye” (Aysel Tuğluk is our honour) , to draw attention to the situation of ill prisoner Aysel Tuğluk and all other ill prisoners.

	 

	The mass took its place in the area, passing through the search points, chanting slogans of struggle against war and exploitation while the band Bandista plays on the stage.

	 

	The rally where the message of changing the system is emphasized, will continue with speeches.