Turkish foreign minister defends violent crackdown on recent protests

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has indirectly defended the recent violent crackdown by the police on anti-government protests, claiming that Turkey is a first-class democracy.
A Turkish Foreign Ministry source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Thursday that Davutoglu had told US Secretary of State John Kerry in a phone conversation on June 4 that Turkey was “not a second-class democracy.”

The Turkish foreign minister also said the recent protests in Turkey were similar to the Occupy Wall Street movement in the United States.

On Wednesday, thousands of Turkish protesters, including union workers, gathered near Kizilay Square in the capital, Ankara. Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the demonstrators.

Since May 31, tens of thousands of protesters have held demonstrations in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Mugla, Antalya, and many other cities and towns in Turkey. The protesters demand the resignation of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has described the protesters as “extremists” and “vandals.”

Unrest initially erupted after police broke up a sit-in staged in Istanbul’s Taksim Square in protest against the demolition of Gezi Park, which the protesters say is a traditional gathering point for demonstrations and is Istanbul’s last green public space.

On June 4, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc apologized for the violent crackdown, which has so far led to the death of at least three people.

However, the demonstrators took to the streets again later on the same day, flooding the Taksim Square. “The vandals are here! Where is Tayyip?” yelled the crowd.

Also on June 4, the Turkish Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions (KESK), which represents 240,000 employees, launched a two-day strike to express solidarity with the protesters.

Amnesty International has censured the Turkish police for the crackdown tactics.