Photos and text by Oren Ziv and Yotam Ronen
Istanbul: Police and protesters did not clash in Istanbul on Thursday night for the first time since the anti-government demonstrations began. Inside Gezi Park, protesters created different systems to serve the thousands of inhabitants, including: a medical clinic, library, a space where supporters can donate food and more. For the first time in days, the local municipality agreed to come to the park and remove the massive amounts of garbage that had accumulated. In Takism Square, people were dancing and singing until the late hours of the night.
Ankara: Turkey’s capital saw a massive demonstration on Thursday, in which tens of thousands of union members and others participated. The protest was peaceful until the late afternoon, when Turkish police violently broke up the demonstration by attacking protesters with water canons and tear gas. Police arrested many, including one journalist who was injured by a gas canister. Today (Friday) Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to return from a visit to North Africa and speak in Ankara.
