Police, May Day demonstrators clash in Istanbul

Police, May Day demonstrators clash in Istanbul

PanARMENIAN.Net - Police and May Day demonstrators have clashed in Istanbul as crowds determined to defy a government ban tried to march to the city's iconic Taksim Square, the Associated Press reports.

Security forces pushed back demonstrators with water cannon and tear gas. Protesters retaliated by throwing stones and hurling firecrackers at police.

Authorities have blocked the square that is symbolic as the center of protests in which 34 people were killed in 1977.

Turkish news wires say that 10,000 police officers were stationed around the square Friday with water cannons to block the protesters.

The demonstrations are the first large-scale protests since the government passed a security bill this year giving police expanded powers to crack down on protesters.

 Top stories
Azerbaijani authorities report that they have already resettled 3,000 people in the Nagorno-Karabakh town of Stepanakert.
On June 10, Azerbaijani President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will leave for Turkey on a working visit.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive.
Partner news
---