136 Arrested in May Day Demonstrations in Istanbul

Turkish police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters who had gathered in the Besiktas district of Istanbul despite a ban on holding May Day demonstrations in Taksim Square.

Istanbul Police Chief Selami Altinok said a total of 136 people had been detained by 2 pm local time on Friday, according to Turkey's Anadolu news agency, as cited by the BBC News.

The authorities ordered a security lockdown, including roadblocks and closed public transportation lines, over fears of unrest.

Police placed barricades around Taksim Square in a bid to prevent a repeat of the deadly clashes in 2013.

Around 10 000 police officers were stationed on and around Taksim Square to prevent gatherings, according to Hurriyet Daily News.