Hundreds of police donned riot gear Tuesday and stormed through barricades in Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey, to oust protesters who’ve occupied the property for a week.
Police fired tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets, sending protesters fleeing, CBS reported. Before firing, however, they sent numerous warnings to the occupiers, via bullhorns and loudspeakers.
The Taksim Square protest was part of a larger movement that began on May 31, with a peaceful park sit-in to oppose a redevelopment project in a popular park. That rally grew into a mass protest against the government and against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in particular.
The controversial leader is accused by many of instilling an authoritarian style of governance and imposing his conservative religious views — he’s a devout Muslim — on a country that’s prided itself on secular law.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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