Police closed all roads leading to Taksim Square early Monday morning to prevent the crowds from celebrating May Day.

Sabah - May 1, 2007 - Police and some military teams have taken enormous measures in many streets and boulevards in Istanbul.

Traffic on Fatih Sultan Mehmet and the Bosphorus Bridges is congested due to security measures and controlled crossing. The Asian side residents are especially facing a horrible traffic jam while attempting to cross over to the European side of the city.

Istanbul Sea Bus and ferry expeditions were also cancelled, in order to prevent protesters from arriving to Taksim from Kadıköy.

The government will be watching whether May Day protests in Istanbul on Tuesday turn into anti-AK Party rallies and further divide the country, which is undergoing strong economic growth.
Some 17,000 police have been stationed across Istanbul. Metro stations, ferries and bus routes have been shut and travel across the Bosphorus straits limited.