Turkish court rules cancellation of Gezi Park demolition plan in question

Protesters gather at the Gezi Park during the third day of nationwide anti-government protest at the Taksim square in Istanbul, Sunday, June 2, 2013. (Photo : AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

The controversial demolition plan of Gezi Park in Istanbul’s Taksim Square had been cancelled by a Turkish court on June 8, Turkish Today’s Zaman revealed Wednesday.

According to the report, Istanbul First Regional Court ruled that the plan to redevelop the Taksim Square had violated preservation rules, the square’s identity and other regulations.

The Gezi Park demonstrations began on May 31 in Turkey’s biggest city of Istanbul as a peaceful sit-in aimed at preserving the park, but soon snowballed into a national movement against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s leadership due to the government’s harsh crackdown.

Clashes between the police and protesters across Turkey killed at least five people, including a policeman, and injured some 5,000. <Xinhua/NEWSis>