Dozens have been injured, two have been killed, four have permanently lost their eyesight after being hit by gas canisters or plastic bullets, and more than 1,700 people arrested in 235 demonstrations in 67 cities in Turkey.
Here’s a video showing brutal attacks on protesters by security forces.
İstanbul/İzmir/Ankara Occupy Gezi-The Police Violence from Aybars Arslan on Vimeo.
Erdogan wants the protests to stop. We want his rule, the brutality and the encroaching Islamism to stop. Full stop.
I am so heartened by these protests – they are broadbased, cutting across party lines (except the AKP of course), social classes, with lots of women, gay people, rival football fans laying aside their fierce rivalry and with even the casts of TV soaps in attendance. Wonderful. Erdogan boasts about his power to call out the islamists onto the streets but that has not happened yet. I hope that that doesn’t happen.