Workers prefer Yenikapı over Taksim

ISTANBUL — The Gezici Research Company, an organization known to be opposed to the ruling AK Party, recently conducted a survey on where Labor Day celebrations should take place in Istanbul on May 1. A total of 2,478 individuals from 36 provinces participated in the survey between April 4 to 11.

Participants were asked "There is no legal reasoning for the government's hesitance to permit the celebrations to take place in Taksim Square, but they claim the location is not ideal for such an occasion as it is at the center of the city. Do you agree with this?" Gezici reported that 62.6 percent of the participants, all of whom were workers stated it should not take place in Taksim Square, while 37.4 percent said it should be celebrated at Taksim Square.

The company has stated that the sole reason behind the hesitance to observe Labor Day celebrations at Taksim was to avoid congestion and violent incidents which have previously occurred at that location. It has also been reported that the insistence to hold the celebrations in Taksim Square was ordered by senior union officials.

In efforts to provide a safe atmosphere, the government has suggested that the Labor Day celebrations be held at Yenikapı Square instead of Taksim.