Raid on «Occupy Taksim Park» demonstrators triggers outcry

15:36 31.05.2013
Turkey

Demonstrations to prevent the demolition of a park on Istanbul's Taksim Square, which is due to be replaced with a shopping mall, entered their third day with police using tear gas at the break of dawn.

However, the attack seems to have backfired, triggering more participation in the demonstrations during the day, which continued peacefully and festively.

A group of young demonstrators, who spent a third night in Taksim Gezi Park in an effort to halt the controversial demolition, woke up engulfed in huge clouds of tear gas fired by the police at 5 a.m. this morning. One demonstrator was hospitalized after the police’s attack.

The police used the Mass Incident Intervention Vehicle (TOMA) to disperse the demonstrators in the park, before seizing their tents. Some of the tents were burnt in the park, as the demonstrators remonstrated with civilian police officers for burning their tents.

After the police’s attack, the demolition vehicles resumed their work. One demonstrator who lay in front of a vehicle was forcibly removed.

Adapted from Hurriyet

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