Turkish police have fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse a massive demonstration against the demolition of a park in central Istanbul. The rally grew into a wider anti-government protest and is spreading across the country.
02:34 GMT: The photos show angry crowds in the streets of
the Turkish capital, Ankara, overnight. Thousands rallied in the
center of the city earlier on Friday chanting for the government
to resign. Police fired tear gas to disperse several dozen
opposition supporters trying to reach the AKP
headquarters.
01:20 GMT: Thousands of fans from the three largest soccer
teams in Turkey joined the demonstrators in Istanbul, Ayda said.
01:18 GMT: As of 3:00am local time, even the most
remote and quiet neighborhoods of Istanbul have joined in the
protest, Ayda, a demonstrator, has told RT. People are
“banging on pots and pans, yelling, honking their car horns on
the streets, and yelling slogans like “Erdogan, istifa!”
(Turkish: Erdogan, resign!).”
00:00 GMT: Istanbul resident Tan Tunali told RT Istiklal
Caddesi, the street leading to Taksim Square, was almost empty as
of 2:00am local time, with the protesters spreading to other
streets. “Now a lot of people spontaneously started taking to
the streets and probably many of them are trying to get to
Taksim.”
23:50 GMT: According to an Istanbul-based activist, who
has chosen to go by the alias Pink Pig, the protest is growing
bigger. “People are coming from everywhere.” A witness
video shows that the demonstration has spread to the Besiktas
Sqaure, which is to the west of Taksim Square.
“Today the police used gas bombs and water cannon to get the
protesters away from the Gezi park. And then from Taksim square
too. They closed all the entries to the Taksim square. They
closed the Taksim metro station. Since the morning we smelt gas
in the streets of Taksim,” the activist told RT.
23:19 GMT:
22: 40 GMT: Witness says ‘1000s of people in Ankara closed
off the protocol road, marching toward the parliament building.’
Earlier reports emerged of the protests and tear-gas having
spread from Istanbul’s Gezi to the capital Ankara. Protesters
also witnessed at two locations in Izmir, according to social
media pictures. Thousands are currently reported to be marching
towards the Parliament.
22:36 GMT: There are reports that police are teargassing
people in a subway station.
22: 31 GMT: Witness says ‘military distriburting masks’ as
police continue with the teargas, adding that it appears ‘the
military haven’t been reined in by the government.’
22:26 GMT:
22:24 GMT: Police said to have used plastic bullets,
causing more severe injuries.
22:15 GMT: Six out the twelve protesters injured so far
have incurred serious head trauma.
22:00 GMT: 12 protesters injured, 100 receive minor
injuries.
20:00 GMT: Police carry out dawn raid against
protesters.
21:39 GMT:
21:00: GMT: A video shows police using water cannons to
disperse protesters at Istanbul’s landmark Taksim Square.
21:00 GMT:
This article originally appeared on: RT