Hundreds of thousands of people from the Marmara region are flocking to the May 1 rally held in Maltepe, Istanbul with the slogan “We will see beautiful days”. The participants dance to the songs of resistance played from the platform in various languages. People of all ages are in the rally grounds where enthusiasm grows by the minute.

“AGAINST WAR AND EXPLOITATION LONG LIVE MAY 1”

Marching to the rally grounds started in two branches. The corteges with tens of thousands of participants are protesting the State of Emergency and the fascist policies of the government. Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) is marching behind a banner that reads “Against the dark sultanate, the bright future belongs to the students”, Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions (KESK) with “KHKs (“statutory decrees”) will go, we will stay” and “Against the SoE, exploitation, war - long live May 1”. Photographs of hostage politicians and a banner that read “Demirtaş walks among us” were carried in the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) cortege.

The CHP cortege entered the grounds with the Gündoğdu (Daybreak) Anthem.

STUDENTS: “NO DELIGHT FOR INVASION”

Students, targeted by the AKP-MHP fascism, chanted “We will not let you be president” and “There can be no Turkish delight for invasion and massacre” and carried photographs of their imprisoned friends.

The corteges continue into the rally grounds.