The man has died after being hit by a water cannon vehicle as he tried to reach the square.
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He was taken to a hospital in Istanbul’s Sisli district, where he succumbed to his wounds.
Around 24,500 members of the security forces were deployed for the May Day celebrations, according to the Istanbul governor’s office.
French and Turkish police fired tear gas at protesters as tensions erupted in both countries during May Day rallies on Sunday (May 1), while thousands marched across the globe for the annual celebration of worker’s rights.
The statement said that numerous roads – in particular those leading to Taksim – will also be closed.
The underground station at Taksim Square was closed and the Square itself was fenced off.
The authorities, as in previous years, refused to allow an officially-approved demonstration to take place on Taksim Square, likely to lead to more clashes.
In the meantime, preparations in the demonstration area of Bakirkoy are about to be completed.
Anti-riot police attempt to disperse protesters at a May Day rally in Bakirkoy, a district of Istanbul, on May 1, 2016.
Anatolia also reported that police had detained four suspected “Islamic State” (IS) militants for allegedly planning a May Day attack in Turkey’s capital of Ankara. The mood was bittersweet with many people criticising the government for keeping Taksim off limits.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said “mutual dialogue and reconciliation” should mark talks between Turkish workers, unions, employers and civil society.
Several foreign missions have warned their citizens over the risk of violence between demonstrators and security personnel in Istanbul on May 1.
The authorities prevented all public access to Taksim Square in the centre of the city – the traditional focus for protests – and the usually bustling area was deserted save for police.
The group of protesters, meeting near the Divan Hotel close to Taksim Square and carrying banners of “Halkevleri” (People’s Houses), were dispersed by police using water cannons, reported Hurriyet Daily News.
The county’s parliament passed a controversial security law a year ago, expanding police powers to crackdown on protests.
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The man who was killed was run over by a police water cannon vehicle, known by its Turkish acronym Toma and which have become ubiquitous in recent years as the police crack down on protests.
