Police Brutally Attack Peaceful Protesters In Turkey
Turkish police reportedly used tear gas and high-pressure water hoses early Friday morning to disperse hundreds of people protesting the destruction of Istanbul’s Gezi Park. Many of the protesters had been sleeping in the park to challenge the bulldozing of trees to make way for a new development, including the construction of a shopping mall.
The hashtag #OccupyGezi lit up Twitter as the news spread quickly online. Check out some of the powerful images that have surfaced on social media from the raid and the protest.
Scores of people have suffered injuries, several of them when a wall collapsed during a police chase.
Demonstrators had held a four-day sit-in at Gezi Park, angry at plans to redevelop that part of Taksim Square.
The controversial redevelopment project is aimed at easing congestion around Taksim Square but also involves building a shopping centre over Gezi Park.
Opponents of Mr Erdogan’s plans say the park is one of the few green areas left in central Istanbul.
According to social media, a woman may have been killed at the protest. (WARNING: MILDLY GRAPHIC)