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Turkey protesters celebrate after police leave Istanbul square
13:17 - 02.06.13
Thousands of protesters celebrated early on Sunday after police
withdrew from Istanbul's Taksim Square, the focal point of nationwide
protests against Turkey's Islamist-rooted government.
The government, while acknowledging some excesses by police in two
days of clashes, called on the demonstrators to leave the streets
after protests in 48 cities, The Telegraph reports.
Rights groups denounced police violence, with Amnesty International
saying that there had been two deaths. Turkey's Western allies Britain
and the United States have called for the government to exercise
restraint.
According to official figures, the clashes over the last few days have
left dozens injured. Amnesty put the figure in the hundreds and said
that some protesters had been left blinded by the massive quantities
of tear gas used by police.
Overnight on Saturday, however, protesters in Taksim Square were
celebrating their victory over the police, dancing and singing, with
some even launching fireworks.
"Government, resign!" protesters shouted as the police retreated.
"We are here Tayyip, where are you?" they chanted, taunting Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
What began as an outcry against a local development project snowballed
into a broader protest against what critics say is the government's
increasingly conservative and authoritarian agenda.
And since the first clashes on Friday, the unrest has spread to dozens
of other cities across the country.
On Saturday, police in Ankara blocked a group of demonstrators from
marching on parliament and the prime minister's office.
Speaking at a rally on Saturday, Erdogan acknowledged: "It is true
that there have been some mistakes, extremism in police response."
But he added: "I call on the protesters to stop their demonstrations
immediately."
He also vowed to push forward with controversial plans to redevelop
the square - the issue that sparked the protests.
The interior ministry promised legal action against police officers
who had acted "disproportionately."
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Baghdasarian
13:17 - 02.06.13
Thousands of protesters celebrated early on Sunday after police
withdrew from Istanbul's Taksim Square, the focal point of nationwide
protests against Turkey's Islamist-rooted government.
The government, while acknowledging some excesses by police in two
days of clashes, called on the demonstrators to leave the streets
after protests in 48 cities, The Telegraph reports.
Rights groups denounced police violence, with Amnesty International
saying that there had been two deaths. Turkey's Western allies Britain
and the United States have called for the government to exercise
restraint.
According to official figures, the clashes over the last few days have
left dozens injured. Amnesty put the figure in the hundreds and said
that some protesters had been left blinded by the massive quantities
of tear gas used by police.
Overnight on Saturday, however, protesters in Taksim Square were
celebrating their victory over the police, dancing and singing, with
some even launching fireworks.
"Government, resign!" protesters shouted as the police retreated.
"We are here Tayyip, where are you?" they chanted, taunting Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
What began as an outcry against a local development project snowballed
into a broader protest against what critics say is the government's
increasingly conservative and authoritarian agenda.
And since the first clashes on Friday, the unrest has spread to dozens
of other cities across the country.
On Saturday, police in Ankara blocked a group of demonstrators from
marching on parliament and the prime minister's office.
Speaking at a rally on Saturday, Erdogan acknowledged: "It is true
that there have been some mistakes, extremism in police response."
But he added: "I call on the protesters to stop their demonstrations
immediately."
He also vowed to push forward with controversial plans to redevelop
the square - the issue that sparked the protests.
The interior ministry promised legal action against police officers
who had acted "disproportionately."
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Baghdasarian