Nearly 400 people were arrested in Istanbul on May Day 2025 as Turkish police deployed over 50,000 officers to prevent demonstrations in Taksim Square, escalating tensions with the opposition amid the detention of mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The crackdown highlights Turkey’s ongoing struggle over protest rights and political freedoms.
Massive Police Presence Shuts Down Istanbul
On May 1, 2025, Istanbul’s streets were paralyzed as Turkish authorities deployed 52,656 police officers to block May Day protests, particularly in Taksim Square, where demonstrations have been banned since 2013 following the Gezi Park uprising. The Istanbul branch of the CHD lawyers group reported over 400 arrests, while city authorities confirmed 382 detentions for “non-authorised demonstrations,” according to AFP. Metro, bus, and ferry services were halted the previous day to deter gatherings, creating what one student, Murat, described to AFP as a “state of emergency.” Taksim Square remains a symbolic flashpoint for dissent.
AFP journalists witnessed dozens of arrests in neighborhoods on Istanbul’s European side, while thousands participated in sanctioned labor union protests on the Asian side, as reported by local media. The heavy-handed response follows a pattern seen in previous years, with Taksim Square cordoned off by metal barriers and guarded by riot police using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds attempting to breach barricades.
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Political Context: Imamoglu’s Detention Fuels Outrage
This year’s May Day protests were charged with political significance due to the March 2025 detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) presidential candidate and a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Imamoglu’s arrest on corruption and terrorism charges, which he denies, sparked nationwide protests, with nearly 2,000 detentions reported by March 27, 2025. The CHP and supporters view the charges as politically motivated to sideline Erdogan’s main challenger ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
[](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-detains-nearly-1900-people-protests-over-jailed-mayor-rejects-2025-03-27/)CHP leader Özgür Özel has called for continued resistance, framing the arrests as an attack on democracy. Posts on X echoed this sentiment, with one describing Istanbul as a “war zone” due to the police response, linking the unrest to Imamoglu’s arrest and Turkey’s economic crisis, with the lira falling 16.3% after the mayor’s detention.
[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Turkish_protests)Hagia Sophia: A Symbol of Turkey’s Complex History
Turkey’s history of navigating cultural and political divides is embodied in the Hagia Sophia, a 6th-century architectural masterpiece in Istanbul. Built as a cathedral, it became a mosque, then a museum, and again a mosque in 2020. This UNESCO World Heritage Site reflects Turkey’s layered identity, much like the current clash between authoritarian measures and democratic aspirations seen in the May Day protests.
Human Rights Concerns and International Criticism
The ban on Taksim Square protests, in place since 2013 after the Gezi Park demonstrations, has drawn criticism from rights groups. Amnesty International’s Dinushika Dissanayake called the restrictions “spurious” and urged their immediate lifting, citing violations of assembly rights. The crackdown extends beyond protesters, with 13 journalists arrested in March, including AFP’s Yasin Akgul, and a BBC correspondent deported for covering the unrest, raising alarms about press freedom.
[](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/europe/article/2024/05/01/turkish-police-detain-dozens-of-protesters-amid-may-day-clampdown_6670075_143.html)[](https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250329-turkey-opposition-calls-mass-rally-in-istanbul)Erdogan has labeled the protests “street terrorism,” accusing the CHP of inciting violence, while Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya claimed protesters threaten national security. However, human rights groups and Western leaders have condemned the use of excessive force, with nearly 2,000 arrests since Imamoglu’s detention signaling a broader clampdown on dissent.
[](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-detains-nearly-1900-people-protests-over-jailed-mayor-rejects-2025-03-27/)A Nation at a Crossroads
The May Day 2025 arrests underscore Turkey’s deepening political divide, with the government’s heavy-handed tactics fueling public frustration. The CHP’s call for Taksim Square to be reopened for labor rallies, supported by labor unions, reflects a broader demand for democratic freedoms. As Istanbul remains a battleground for political expression, the outcome of these protests could shape Turkey’s path toward the 2028 election, where Imamoglu’s candidacy remains a focal point despite his imprisonment. Turkish police actions continue to draw global scrutiny.