ANKARA, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police on Tuesday detained about 100 protesters who were trying to march to Istanbul's Taksim square to mark the 30th anniversary of a deadly May Day rally, local CNN TURK reported.

    The report said that the police fired tear gas canisters to prevent hundreds of leftist protesters heading from Dolmabahce Street to the Taksim square.

    During the clash with demonstrators, over 100 protesters were detained, Istanbul governor Muammer Guler announced on Tuesday.

    Istanbul municipality declared the area off limits to protesters but allowed a handful of union leaders to lay red carnations at the square, where unidentified gunmen opened fire at tens of thousands of demonstrators during a 1977 May Day gathering.

    The 1977 incident left 34 people dead, most of whom were killed in a stampede.

    Officials had shut down 41 schools in the area for the day, fearing clashes with protesters or members of outlawed leftist groups who often clash with police during May Day rallies in Turkey.