Turkish troops detain left-wing labor leaders

May 1, 1980

Martial-law troops, backed by tanks, surrounded the Istanbul headquarters of Turkey's biggest left-wing trade union confederation Wednesday and ordered the detention of its leaders. The right-wing government and martial-law commanders have banned May Day rallies in most cities, fearing a repetition of a 1977 May Day incident when snipers killed 34 left-wing students and workers.