Turkish police detained more than 160 protesters who were trying to hold a May Day rally in defiance of a ban imposed by the governor's office. Images showed riot police clashing with protesters near Istanbul's Taksim Square, pinning some of them forcefully to the ground before rounding them up in a police car. The Istanbul governor's office said 164 people were held after staging "an unauthorised rally" and refusing to disperse despite police warnings.
A photographer saw around 20 protesters detained near Taksim Square. "Long live May Day'', some of them shouted. "Labour and freedom! Long live May Day." There are often detentions during the annual May 1 workers' holiday. — AFP
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