Bloody May Day (1977)
| Bloody May Day | |
|---|---|
| Part of political violence in Turkey (1976–1980) | |
The "worker that lifts the world on their palms" (Turkish: dünyayı avuçlarında yükselten işçi) logo that was prepared for 1 May 1977 demonstrations | |
| Native name | Kanlı 1 Mayıs 1 Mayıs Katliamı |
| Location | 41°02′13″N 28°59′09″E / 41.03694°N 28.98583°E Taksim Square, Beyoğlu, Istanbul |
| Date | 1 May 1977 |
| Target | Civilians, leftists |
| Deaths | 36 (Described by the morgue) 31 (Explained by the prosecutor) |
| Injured | 136 |
| Accused | Counter-Guerrilla, right-wing groups |
The Bloody May Day (Turkish: Kanlı 1 Mayıs, lit. 'Bloody 1 May' or 1 Mayıs Katliamı, '1 May Massacre') was an attack on leftist demonstrators on 1 May 1977 (International Workers' Day) in Taksim Square, Istanbul, Turkey. Casualty figures vary between 31 and 36 people killed with 126 to 220 injured. Over 500 demonstrators were later detained by the security forces, and 98 were indicted. None of the perpetrators were caught, although suspicion soon fell on the Counter-Guerrilla and associated right-wing groups. The massacre was part of the wave of political violence in Turkey in the late 1970s.