Turkish police clamp down on anti-government protests: LIVE UPDATES

Turkish police have fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse a massive demonstration against the demolition of a park in central Istanbul. The rally grew into a wider anti-government protest and is spreading across the country.

Istiklal street as of now

10:52 GMT: All across the country, activists on Twitter are warning their fellow protesters of the authorities blocking the internet and telephone networks, as well as tracking the demonstrators.

10:17 GMT: Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan stressed that he would push ahead with plans to redevelop Istanbul’s central Taksim Square despite protests, according to Reuters. Erdogan pointed out that the redevelopment plans were being used by protesters as a pretext to escalate tensions.

09:59 GMT: As quoted by Mahir Zeynalov, a correspondent for ‘Today’s Zaman’, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan commented on the events: “Construction works in Gezi Park in Taksim is not related to the Topçu barrack construction. Everyone has a right to protest peacefully. But no one has right to occupy and disrupt public order. All attempts to change the government other than via the ballot box are anti-democratic, illegal.”

08:15 GMT: Police have cracked down on protesters in Ankara, using teargas and water cannons, as protests spread from Istanbul to the capital.

07:06 GMT: Police clashed with groups of stone-throwing young protesters trying to reach Taksim Square in Istanbul.

A man runs away during a clashes between Turkish protestors and riot policemen on June 1, 2013.

06:20 GMT: Police are firing teargas to bar the protesters from reaching the main square, AP reported Saturday morning.

Protestors clash with Turkish riot policemen on May 31, 2013.

05:40 GMT: Security has been stepped up in the metropolis, with police forces drafted from other regions. Some districts in Istanbul have been cordoned off. Traffic is currently at a standstill.

04:55 GMT: Thousands are crossing the Bosphorus Bridge this morning, to get to Taskim Square in the heart of Istanbul, marking the second day of protest turbulence engulfing Istanbul.

 

02:34 GMT: The photos show angry crowds in the streets of the Turkish capital, Ankara, overnight. Thousands rallied in the center of the city earlier on Friday chanting for the government to resign. Police fired tear gas to disperse several dozen opposition supporters trying to reach the AKP headquarters.

Anti-government protesters shout slogans as they clash with riot police in central Ankara early June 1, 2013  

Anti-government protesters clash with riot police in central Ankara early June 1, 2013

01:20 GMT: Thousands of fans from the three largest soccer teams in Turkey joined the demonstrators in Istanbul, Ayda said.

01:18 GMT: As of 3:00am local time, even the most remote and quiet neighborhoods of Istanbul had joined in the protest, Ayda, a demonstrator, told RT. People are “banging on pots and pans, yelling, honking their car horns on the streets, and yelling slogans like “Erdogan, istifa!” (Turkish: Erdogan, resign!).”

00:00 GMT: Istanbul resident Tan Tunali told RT Istiklal Caddesi, the street leading to Taksim Square, was almost empty as of 2:00am local time, with the protesters spreading to other streets. “Now a lot of people spontaneously started taking to the streets and probably many of them are trying to get to Taksim.”

Saturday, June 1

23:50 GMT: According to an Istanbul-based activist, who has chosen to go by the alias Pink Pig, the protest is growing bigger. “People are coming from everywhere.” A witness video shows that the demonstration has spread to the Besiktas Sqaure, which is to the west of Taksim Square.

“Today the police used gas bombs and water cannon to get the protesters away from the Gezi park. And then from Taksim square too. They closed all the entries to the Taksim square. They closed the Taksim metro station. Since the morning we smelt gas in the streets of Taksim,” the activist told RT.