Few days before the Workers’ Day, May 1, Turkish police conducted raids and detained many people in Istanbul.

Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) member Ümmühan Özdemir, ESP Maltepe district chairperson Kerem Bükre, Pir Sultan Abdal Culture Association’s Zeytinburnu executive Hasan Kılık, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Bağcılar district executive Erkan Çelikcan and Mustafa Kubilay Sever were taken into custody as a result of house raids conducted at around 02:30 last night.

Police conducted search and seized mobile phones in the targeted houses.

As part of the operation, police also raided the office of BEKSAV (Science, Education, Aesthetics, Culture and Arts Researches Foundation) in Kadıköy district last night. Following a detailed search, police confiscated the computers and security cameras of the organization.

BEKSAV said the followings in a Twitter message; “Our Office was raided by the police last night. Our side is clear! We will continue to produce art for not the Palace but for the oppressed! We will continue to say, “Art for society, science for humanity, politics for freedom”.