May Day in Turkey and Kurdistan

Despite bans, thousands of people took to the streets across Turkey on May Day. The May Day Democratic Alliance, which includes the United Forces of Struggle (BMG - Alliance of Revolutionary Forces), mobilized on the streets in many places. Several small groups moved to the historic Taksim Square, which has been cordoned off by the police. BMG members resolutely declared in the demonstrations, "We are in the banned squares today. We are here today to break the barricade that has been erected in front of the struggling workers, women and students of Boğaziçi University. We are here today to break the prohibitions of the state as revolutionaries. We will break the barricades and defeat fascism!"

The police attacked the demonstrations and arrested hundreds of people. Despite a decree criminalizing the recording of police violence, the free press documented the police violence. The resistance continued nonetheless. May Day marches resounded by detained activists from police buses.

There were also May Day demonstrations and rallies in North and East Syria condemning the Turkish state's occupation attacks in South Kurdistan and Rojava. The Revolutionary Communist Movement (TKŞ) called for international solidarity among the peoples and stated, "The imperialist forces and reactionary powers of the region do not bear this system here, which is taking the path of light against the darkness of capitalism. They are trying to defeat our revolution via any attacks. The fascist Turkish colonial state is leading these attacks."