Friday, May 2

This is our 900th blog post!

Hundreds of people were arrested in Turkey's largest city yesterday after massive protests took place, with labor unions and other workers fighting against larger corporations on May Day.

May Day, also known as International Workers' Day, falls on May 1st every year, and in many countries, it is the day where labor unions and their workers protest for better working conditions, higher pay, or other additional benefits.

Istanbul, Turkey's largest city of over 16 million people, saw major protests yesterday, as usual, but the government has recently cracked down on demonstrations. In Taksim Square, one of the focal points of Istanbul, protests have been banned since 2013, but many people still storm the square to fight for their cause every year.

This year, Turkey took a more hardline approach to the demonstrations-- over 50,000 police officers were deployed to Istanbul to ensure that they were kept to a minimum. Taksim Square was completely shut down several days before May Day, with blockades erected on all sides of the area. A few of the labor unions were allowed to briefly walk across the square carrying flags and banners, but it was nothing compared to the protests of previous years.

Some groups attempted to force their way into Taksim Square, sparking tension between police and protestors at the barricades. However, videos showed the police easily overpowering several people before the citizens were dragged away into buses.

Many of the protestors complained about their lack of freedom during the May Day celebrations, and Turkish authorities did not hesitate to take action against citizens. Water cannons were in place across busy areas, and over 100 people were arrested for planning a protest before May Day even begun. Later on, over 380 additional people were arrested for participating in demonstrations that were not approved by the government.

This comes just after major protests following the detainment of opposition party leader Ekrem Imamoglu, who was imprisoned recently by Turkey's courts. People believed that the leader was jailed due to the threat he posed to current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has held office since 2014.

Fact of the Day (Today): Cats are actually unable to taste sweetness, due to the fact that they lack one of the two proteins that create the sweetness taste receptor.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Never dull your shine for somebody else. (Tyra Banks)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Convoluted (adj, KAHN-vuh-loo-tud) - Something described as convoluted is very complicated and difficult to understand, or has many curves and turns.

In a Sentence: The speaker’s argument was so convoluted that most of the audience had trouble determining whether they were for or against the new policy.