Police used heavy force today against a group who had gathered in Istanbul’s Okmeydan? neighborhood to in support for 14-year-old Berkin Elvan, who has been in a coma since mid-June when he was struck by a police gas capsule fired during the Gezi protests.
The group wanted to march toward Istanbul Courthouse in Ça?layan to demand that the police officers responsible for injuring Elvan on June 16 be tried.

Police initially warned the protesters that the march was illegal, then fired tear gas to disperse people after some masked people emerged from side streets to throw Molotov cocktails and rocks.

The clashes between police and protesters have been continuing for several hours.

Elvan was not a protester but a bystander who was attacked after stepping out to buy bread during a police intervention in the neighborhood, which is famous as an anti-government stronghold.

On Aug. 21, Amnesty International issued a call to Turkish authorities to launch a fair investigation to determine the police officer responsible for firing the tear gas capsule that struck Elvan.

Five people have died and thousands have been injured since the Gezi protests erupted in late May, when Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality attempted to cut down trees in Taksim’s iconic park, sparking anger in Istanbul and cities around the country.

By The journals of Turkish Weekly

 

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