Police in Istanbul fired tear gas and rubber bullets to break up a group of May Day demonstrators on Monday, as authorities detained more than 200 people at protests around the city.
Protests were expected to be more subdued this year after unions said they would not attempt to march on Taksim Square, a traditional rallying point for anti-government protests that has been declared off-limits for demonstrators, Reuters reported.
Police presence was heavy across the city, with helicopters buzzing overhead.
Police in the Mecidiyekoy neighborhood used tear gas and rubber bullets on a group of protesters who were attempting to march toward Taksim Square. They were shouting "Taksim is ours and it will remain ours".
"A total of 207 people have been detained," the Istanbul governor's office said in a statement, adding that some 40 Molotov cocktails, 17 hand grenades and 176 fireworks had been confiscated. Illegal posters were also seized, it said.
