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Turkey protests: Clashes follow death of teenager Berkin Elvan | Turkey protests: Clashes follow death of teenager Berkin Elvan |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Riot police and hundreds of protesters clashed on Tuesday after a teenager boy died from wounds he had received during an anti-government demonstration last June. | Riot police and hundreds of protesters clashed on Tuesday after a teenager boy died from wounds he had received during an anti-government demonstration last June. |
The chaos escalated hours after it was announced that 15-year-old Berkin Elvan had died in an Istanbul hospital. | The chaos escalated hours after it was announced that 15-year-old Berkin Elvan had died in an Istanbul hospital. |
Berkin’s family said he was on his way to a shop to buy bread when he was caught up in a street protest and struck in the head with a high-velocity tear-gas canister. | Berkin’s family said he was on his way to a shop to buy bread when he was caught up in a street protest and struck in the head with a high-velocity tear-gas canister. |
Outside the hospital, protesters held a vigil and threw stones at police vehicles. Officers responded with tear gas. | Outside the hospital, protesters held a vigil and threw stones at police vehicles. Officers responded with tear gas. |
Meanwhile, at the centre of the capital, Ankara, and in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, officers used tear gas, water cannon, and rubber bullets against anti-government protesters - who fought back by throwing stones and bottles. | Meanwhile, at the centre of the capital, Ankara, and in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, officers used tear gas, water cannon, and rubber bullets against anti-government protesters - who fought back by throwing stones and bottles. |
There were also reports of protests in at least nine other cities. Authorities could not provide details on injuries to protesters or police officers. | There were also reports of protests in at least nine other cities. Authorities could not provide details on injuries to protesters or police officers. |
Berkin's death has raised the number of fatalities from last summer's protests to at least eight, including a police officer. | |
Several police officers were questioned about Berkin's head injury but no one has been charged. | Several police officers were questioned about Berkin's head injury but no one has been charged. |
The anti-government demonstrations started out as a small, local protest against government plans to turn a central Istanbul park into a shopping mall. | The anti-government demonstrations started out as a small, local protest against government plans to turn a central Istanbul park into a shopping mall. |
But after police used force against those protesters, unrest spread nationwide as demonstrators denounced Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian style and demanded greater democratic freedom. | But after police used force against those protesters, unrest spread nationwide as demonstrators denounced Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian style and demanded greater democratic freedom. |
A protester waves a black flag during clashes with riot police in Kadikoy, on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, on March 11, 2014. | |
Police say 3 million people demonstrated from May to September, during which human rights groups estimate around 8,000 people were injured. Many were struck at close range by gas canisters. | Police say 3 million people demonstrated from May to September, during which human rights groups estimate around 8,000 people were injured. Many were struck at close range by gas canisters. |
New York-based Human Rights Watch said Turkey needed to deliver justice to Berkin's family by imprisoning the police officers responsible. | New York-based Human Rights Watch said Turkey needed to deliver justice to Berkin's family by imprisoning the police officers responsible. |
Emma Sinclair-Webb, senior Turkey researcher at Human Rights Watch, said Berkin “has become a symbol of Turkey's record of police violence and lack of accountability.” | Emma Sinclair-Webb, senior Turkey researcher at Human Rights Watch, said Berkin “has become a symbol of Turkey's record of police violence and lack of accountability.” |