TURKEY: Protesters in Ankara's Kugulu Park remain in the camp as police dismantle their tents

Record ID: 645020

  • Title: TURKEY: Protesters in Ankara's Kugulu Park remain in the camp as police dismantle their tents
  • Date: 12th June 2013
  • Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (JUNE 12, 2013) (REUTERS) VIEW OF PROTESTERS IN KUGULU PARK PEOPLE SLEEPING IN PARK PROTESTERS TALKING TO EACH OTHER AS THEY LIE DOWN PROTESTERS CHATTING PROTESTER SLEEPING MORE OF PROTESTERS IN PARK (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) UNIDENTIFIED TURKISH PROTESTER, SAYING: "They told us if we would re-erect the tents they would come with riot police but probably we will set up our tents again. Actually, we will definitely set them up. People are working on it. We don't know what will happen when riot police come but they say it will happen." VARIOUS OF DISMANTLED TENTS (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) UNIDENTIFIED TURKISH PROTESTER, SAYING: "Today they dismantled our tents illegally. We are here today and we will be here tonight. If you come here tomorrow morning we will be here for breakfast." PROTESTERS SLEEPING ON THE GROUND VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN KUGULU PARK VARIOUS OF RIOT POLICE AWAITING OUTSIDE THE PARK
  • Embargoed: 27th June 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Crime,General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABD31LY0KXWTV96CNCWW3RADYM
  • Story Text: Protesters occupying Ankara's Kugulu Park in support of the activists in Istanbul's Gezi Park remained defiant on Wednesday (June 12) as they were once again forced by police to dismantle their tents.
    Protesters removed their tents after police warned them, but stayed on in their camp.
    Police in plain clothes entered the park and warned the protesters to remove their tents; threatening riot police intervention.
    "They told us if we would re-erect the tents they would come with riot police but probably we will set up our tents again. Actually, we will definitely set them up. People are working on it. We don't know what will happen when riot police come but they say it will happen," said one of the protesters who did not want to be identified.
    "Today they dismantled our tents illegally. We are here today and we will be here tonight. If you come here tomorrow morning we will be here for breakfast," added another protester who also asked not to be identified.
    Turkish riot police fired tear gas and water cannon at hundreds of protesters armed with rocks and fireworks on Tuesday(June 11) as they tried to take back control of a central Istanbul square at the heart of anti-government demonstrations.
    Riot police backed by armoured vehicles moved into Taksim Square, epicentre of more than ten days of protest, soon after dawn.
    Bulldozers began removing barricades made of paving stones and corrugated iron.
    What began as a protest at redevelopment plans for Gezi Park, a leafy corner of the square, has grown into an unprecedented challenge to Prime Minster Erdogan who has governed for over 10 years.
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