ISTANBUL — Turkish riot police used tear gas and water cannon in a dawn raid Friday to end a peaceful sit-in by hundreds of people trying to prevent trees from being uprooted at an Istanbul park. The move ignited furious protests and clashes that injured at least 12 people.
The protest then spread to the capital Ankara, where hundreds of others gathered at a park and chanted anti-government slogans in solidarity with those in Istanbul.
In a victory for the protesters, an Istanbul court later ordered the temporary suspension of the project to uproot the trees.
Police took action on the fourth day of the protest against a government plan to revamp Istanbul’s main square, Taksim. Officers clashed with angry demonstrators in surrounding areas, firing tear gas canisters and pushing people back with water cannon.