Turkish police break up Istanbul May Day protests

By Thomas Grove and Osman Senkul

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish riot police fired water cannon and tear gas in clashes with crowds who gathered for an outlawed May Day rally in central Istanbul on Thursday.

Thousands of police were stationed in the centre of Turkey's largest city to block access to its main Taksim Square after three trade union confederations pledged to mobilise up to 500,000 people in defiance of an official ban.

Strains surrounding the traditional May Day demonstrations of workers' unity were heightened this year by union opposition to a reform of the social security system which raises the retirement age sharply.

The unions later abandoned plans to march towards the square because of the heavy police presence. Masked protesters threw bricks at the lines of riot police as armoured vehicles sprayed them with water cannon and police fired tear gas.

Tensions have also been increased by a prosecutor's bid to close the ruling AK Party and ban 71 party officials including Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan for alleged Islamist activities.

Officials have cited intelligence reports that radical groups planned to stage violent protests during the rally. Militant leftists and Kurdish separatists frequently clash with police at demonstrations.

A Reuters reporter saw several police beat one man with truncheons. "The workers built the road we are standing on and now we are being crushed on it," said retired Resit Celiktepe, 51. There were no details on casualties or detentions.

"In order not to become a tool of this government's provocations we are sensibly ending our actions here. But we will continue to call the government to account," said Suleyman Celebi, chairman of DISK trade union confederation, after the plan to march towards Taksim Square was abandoned.