ISTANBUL, TURKEY, MAY 1, SPA -- TURKISH POLICE DETAINED SOME 40 PROTESTERS WHO WERE SHOUTING SLOGANS MONDAY AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND AND THE UNITED STATES AT A MAY DAY DEMONSTRATION IN ISTANBUL’S CENTRAL SQUARE. THE PROTESTERS IN TAKSIM SQUARE WERE MEMBERS OF THETURKISH COMMUNIST PARTY, THE LABOR PARTY AND A GROUP THAT CALLED ITSELF «STRUGGLE.» THEY DID NOT HAVE A PERMIT FOR A MAY DAY DEMONSTRATION, ALTHOUGH OTHER LARGE PROTESTS HAD PERMITS FOR DEMONSTRATIONS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. THE GROUP REFUSED POLICE DEMANDS TO DISPERSE, AND POLICE FIRED PEPPER SPRAY AND TEAR GAS AT THE CROWD. FOOTAGE BROADCAST ON CNN-TURK SHOWED PROTESTERS FIGHTING WITH POLICE AND ONE PROTESTER COWERING IN A BUS AS A POLICE OFFICER BEAT HIM WITH HIS FISTS. THE PROTESTERS SHOUTED «DOWN WITH THE IMF» AND HELDPOSTERS THAT SAID TURKEY WAS IRAN’S BROTHER AND AMERICA’S ENEMY. IN MERSIN IN THE SOUTHEAST, POLICE DETAINED TWO COMMUNIST PROTESTERS WHO WERE SAID TO BE PLANNING TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY WITH PETROL BOMB ATTACKS. --SPA 1354 Local Time 1054 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/357565