Protesters, police square off in Istanbul
Wednesday 12th, March 2014 / 22:53 Written by Oman Observer
in International
Istanbul — Police used water cannon and tear gas yesterday to clear protesters in central Istanbul, where more than 15,000 people had gathered for the funeral of a boy who died this week from injuries sustained during anti-government protests last year.
Most of the thousands of demonstrators who had gathered at one protest site about 2 kilometres north of Taksim Square were cleared in the police operation, but the protesters who remained responded by setting up barricades and throwing stones at officers.
Demonstrations were taking place across the city, but the largest marches came to a standstill as authorities brought in water cannon and armoured vehicles and boxed in protesters. Demonstrators waved flags and blew whistles, and some spray-painted the name of Berkin Elvan on buses and buildings.
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