Violent protests spread to Turkish coast
- 11 years ago
(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)
Protesters in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir clashed with police on Friday (May 31) as they took to the streets to show solidarity with thousands of demonstrators in Istanbul.
Protesters chanted anti-government slogans and pelted riot police with stones. Police used water cannon to disperse the crowd.
The unrest reflects growing disquiet over what they see as the authoritarianism of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Riot police clashed with tens of thousands of May Day protesters in Istanbul this month. There have also been protests against the government's stance on the conflict in neighbouring Syria, a tightening of restrictions on alcohol sales and warnings against public displays of affection.
The protest in Istanbul at Taksim Gezi Park started late on Monday (May 27) after trees were torn up under a government redevelopment plan but has widened into a b
Protesters in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir clashed with police on Friday (May 31) as they took to the streets to show solidarity with thousands of demonstrators in Istanbul.
Protesters chanted anti-government slogans and pelted riot police with stones. Police used water cannon to disperse the crowd.
The unrest reflects growing disquiet over what they see as the authoritarianism of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Riot police clashed with tens of thousands of May Day protesters in Istanbul this month. There have also been protests against the government's stance on the conflict in neighbouring Syria, a tightening of restrictions on alcohol sales and warnings against public displays of affection.
The protest in Istanbul at Taksim Gezi Park started late on Monday (May 27) after trees were torn up under a government redevelopment plan but has widened into a b