Turkish police use water cannons, tear gas to oust protesters from Taksim Square.(RT).Hundreds of security troops have arrived at the scene early morning. The square itself was mostly empty of protesters at the time.
The few protesters present at the square when police arrived were quickly dispersed with tear gas, eyewitnesses report. They retreated to neighboring areas and are launching sporadic assaults at police forces, being beaten back each time.
Some of the police dismantled barricades which protesters erected over the days of action. They have also taken down protest banners from the buildings surrounding the square.
Others were using water cannons to scatter the protesters trying to retake the square. The activists threw firebombs and fireworks at the armored police trucks.
Police officials told the media they are taking control of the square to protect a monument in it from vandalism.
The Monument of the Republic, commemorating the 5th anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 is located in Taksim Square. The monument was covered with some anti-government and pro-revolution graffiti by the protesters.
At the scene police are calling on the protesters to stay back and not interfere with the operation.
The development follows sporadic night clashes between security forces and rioting protesters in Ankara. Turkish police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.
Taksim Square is one of primary locations of anti-government protests in Turkey, which are entering their 11th day on Tuesday.
The protests started as a small environmentalist sit-in aimed at stopping a city development project that would see trees cut down at Gezi Park, right next to the Taksim Square plaza. But it grew into a nation-wide anti-government movement following the brutal dispersal of Gezi Park defenders on May 29.Read the full story here. Read the full story here.More pictures here.
No comments:
Post a Comment