Demonstrators help one another as Turkish riot policemen use tear gas to disperse clashes on May 31, 2013 (AFP/Getty Images)
Riot police clash with demonstrators after they used tear gas and pressurized water in a dawn raid on Friday to rout a peaceful demonstration. (AP)
Protestors try to stop water cannon vehicle with a Turkish a flag (EPA)
Turkish riot police use water cannons and tear gas to disperse demonstrators. (EPA)
(AFP/Getty Images)
A man runs as riot police use tear gas and pressurized water to quash a peaceful demonstration (AP)
(EPA)
A Turkish riot policeman uses tear gas as a demonstrator holds a banner which reads, “Chemical Tayyip”, referring to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (REUTERS)
A demonstrator falls after being hit by water cannon (REUTERS)
(EPA)
A demonstrator is hit by water cannon used by riot police to disperse the crowd (REUTERS)
A Turkish riot policeman uses tear gas as a demonstrator holds a banner which reads, “Chemical Tayyip”, referring to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (REUTERS)
(AFP/Getty Images)
A demonstrator reacts as riot police use a water cannon and tear gas to disperse the crowd (REUTERS)
(AFP/Getty Images)
A man falls as riot police use tear gas and pressurized water to quash a peaceful demonstration (AP)
(REUTERS)
(EPA)
(AFP/Getty Images)
(EPA)
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.