May Day rallies in Taksim Square have been banned since 1977, when unknown gunmen opened fire on crowds gathered for the workers’ celebration, killing 36 people.

ISTANBUL - Istanbul’s governor has rejected calls from the country’s leading trades unions to be allowed to stage a massive rally in the city’s Taksim Square as part of events to mark May Day.

On Monday, governor Muammer Guler said that Taksim Square was not among the places deemed as appropriate for the holding of such celebrations.

“Therefore it is impossible to hold May Day celebrations in Taksim Square,” Guler told a press conference in Istanbul.

Guler also announced that a criminal complaint had been lodged against unions, which last week announced they would hold the May 1 rally in Taksim with or without official permission.