Peaceful Protest in Turkey turns Violent

In Turkey, a peaceful protest has been up since Friday in advancing their claim for the resignation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom critics say has become increasingly authoritarian.

The protests was triggered after the plan of removing the last green space in  central Istanbul, the Gezi Park. It has been reported that it will be replaced with a replica of a 19th-century Ottoman barracks which apparently will also contain a shopping mall.

In reports, the protests resulted into violence when security forces released tear gas and water cannons.

Turkish protesters from various political spectrum unites as they forward the same claim and face a common foe: security forces that started what they call as ‘unprecedented violence’.

At least 3,185 people have been injured due to the clashes on Sunday and Monday based on the claim of the Turkish Medical Association. However, 26 of them were declared to be in critical condition. The association confirmed the death of one protester named Mehmet Ayvalitas due to injuries.

There is a second death confirmed by the governor’s office. It has been reported that the death came from the southern city of Antakya.

The continuous strike on Tuesday and Wednesday have seen to affect schools and universities along with government offices.

In a statement, the left-wing Kesk trade union confederation said that “the state error implemented against entirely peaceful protests is continuing in a way that threatens civilians’ life safety.”

Sources: cnn.com, news.sky.com, bbc.co.uk