Turkish students protest against new highway's opening
A protest against a controversial highway opening in Turkey breaks out in clashes.
Student protesters and riot police exchanged blows of fireworks and tear gas at Ankara's Middle East Technical University.
The unrest has been ongoing for months as students protested against plans that involved building a road across the campus.
The plans allegedly involved uprooting a number of trees in the area.
At the highway's opening ceremony, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan denied uprooting trees.
(SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN SAYING:
"Supposedly, we are cutting off the trees. We told them it wasn't the case. On the contrary, we would plant even more trees as part of this project. But despite that, they didn't change their attitude."
Video from the ceremony showed flags and banners above the new eight-lane highway.
Student protesters and riot police exchanged blows of fireworks and tear gas at Ankara's Middle East Technical University.
The unrest has been ongoing for months as students protested against plans that involved building a road across the campus.
The plans allegedly involved uprooting a number of trees in the area.
At the highway's opening ceremony, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan denied uprooting trees.
(SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN SAYING:
"Supposedly, we are cutting off the trees. We told them it wasn't the case. On the contrary, we would plant even more trees as part of this project. But despite that, they didn't change their attitude."
Video from the ceremony showed flags and banners above the new eight-lane highway.