It would seem that the headline does not reflect the brutal reality on the ground.
Thousands
of protesters pack Istanbul’s Taksim Square, over 900 arrested
across Turkey
RT,
1
June, 2013
Police in Istanbul have withdrawn from Taksim Square, allowing the mass protest to continue unabated, Turkish media report. Istanbul and Ankara are entering the third day of violent protests, with tear gas and water cannon deployed and over 900 arrested.
Minor
scuffles broke out after protesters lobbed fireworks at officers as
they were drawing back, the state-run Anadolu Agency reports. Police
removed barricades around the square, located in the heart of the
city, which had previously been erected to prevent the
anti-government protests, Private Dogan news agency said.
Despite
the authorities decision to allow tens of thousands to flood onto the
square, the main subway gateway to Taksim, the central station in the
city's metro network, has reportedly been shut down in an effort to
keep more people from reaching the ongoing protests.
In
the capital, Ankara, security forces battled with demonstrators who
had amassed at a park near Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's
office. Rallies have also been staged in the cities of Bodrum, Konya
and Izmir.
Confronted
with the growing street opposition, Erdogan remained defiant,
demanding that protesters “stop their demonstrations immediately."
"Police
were there yesterday, they'll be on duty today and also tomorrow
because Taksim Square cannot be an area where extremists are running
wild," the PM warned.
In
two days about 939 people have been detained across the Turkey as
part of “necessary security measures,” Turkish Interior Minister
Muammer Güler said.
On
Monday, several dozen activists tried to stage a sit-in in Gezi Park,
the last area of green space left on Taksim Square, after several
trees were torn up to make way for a commercial redevelopment.
Erdogan
dismissed the small protest on Wednesday, saying authorities would go
ahead with the plan, which entails the construction of a replica
Ottoman-era barracks that could house a shopping mall or apartments.
Following
three days of police pressure, which saw officers douse peaceful
protesters with pepper spray and tear gas, the sit-in attracted
support from broad sections of Turkish society.
On
Friday morning, riot police stormed the camp, deploying water cannons
and tear gas, sparking the ongoing unrest. Human rights activists
said hundreds were wounded as clashes raged on throughout the night.
The
heavy-handed tactics deployed by police have been viewed by
demonstrators as a sign of the government’s increasingly
authoritarian bent, with the park demonstration turning into a
broader, nationwide protest against Erdogan’s government.
Similar
demonstrations have flared up around the country despite a court
decision to temporarily halt demolition of the park.
Erdogan
said that the Turkish Interior Ministry had launched an investigation
into the use of excessive force by security forces. In a televised
speech, the Turkish PM said police may have used tear gas excessively
during their confrontation with protesters, although he insisted they
did not represent the majority and were responsible for raising
tensions.
However,
protesters have countered the claim, saying the violent police
crackdown is to blame for the recent unrest.
“This
started simply as a peaceful sit-in to save a park, but it’s become
one of the worst state attacks on protesters in recent memory -- and
a frightening example of the Turkish government’s growing eagerness
to crack down on its own citizens," an online petition demanding
that Erdogan “End the crackdown now!” reads.
"The
security forces have been individually targeting protesters to
terrify, wound and kill us. 12 people have already suffered trauma
injuries from gas canisters -- one man died of heart attack, and
hundreds are suffering from excessive gas inhalation,” it
continues.
In the meantime there has been word about Erdogan closing down the internet.
Here is other footage out of Turkey
Here is other footage out of Turkey
From Yasemin Baran in Turkey
THIS
IS TAKSIM WHERE THE PROTESTS TOOK PLACE THE PAST FEW DAYS - today is
the 5th day of protests, 3rd day of the police attacks.
Police
pulled back as of this moment in ISTANBUL ONLY. Protestors in Ankara
are being beaten to pieces this very moment.
Media
is still lying or not telling the whole story -which is not
surprising after all...
THIS
IS THE BLOODSHED OF REVOLUTION and OUR RESISTANCE TO ISLAMIC REGIME
FORCED DOWN OUR THROATS.
This
is the blood of protestors who fought for their country and their
freedom.
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