Taksim Square has been the centre of demonstrations in Istanbul, however, since the police pulled out of the square there had been no clashes here until 11 June 2013. In Gazi District, police has brutally attacked demonstrations that begin at 9 pm every day firing tear gas chemicals and pressurized water.
The police has also viciously attacked demonstrations in Kuğulu Park in Ankara, and has randomly fired tear gas chemicals both at protestors and to the surrounding area, and allegedly used plastic bullets.
Many people were injured and/or taken into custody following the violence applied by the security forces.
As far as police forces couldn’t manage to prevent the demonstrations held especially in Gezi Park and Ankara due to protestors decisive manner and public support, PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had to have a meeting with the artists and officials of chambers as the representatives of the protestors on 12 June 2012 and 13 June 2013. It is emphasized to wait for the conclusion of the judicial process, then to decide whether conduct a referendum or not.
On the 15th day of the demonstrations (11 June 2013) in the early hours of the morning police teams attacked Taksim Square. After dispersing the demonstrators in the square with tear gas chemicals and pressurized water, the police teams took down the flags, banners, posters and placards on the Atatürk Cultural Centre and took control of Taksim Square. The interrogation of 70 suspects , taken under custody during the raid to Socialist Democracy Party, is on going.
According to an assessment made by the Turkish Medical Association on 12 June 2013; 11823 people were injured in demonstrations across Turkey, and regretfully, 3 demonstrators, one police officer and one cleaner lost their lives.
The number of the detained across Turkey as of 14 June 2013 has reached 2636 according to HRFT data. The number of people that have been arrested is 2. 48 people were detained because of the Twitter messages they sent.
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