Turkish authorities stop protesters from entering reopened Gezi park

The governor of Istanbul, Huseyin Avni Mutlu (C) announces the reopening of the Gezi park in Istanbul on July 8, 2013. (Photo : Xinhua/Lu Zhe)

An Istanbul park that was at the center of weeks of anti-government demonstrations opened for a few hours Monday, but Turkish authorities quickly closed it and fired a water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters heading to the area for a planned rally.

The attack – the second by police on protesters since Saturday – occurred on a main pedestrian road leading to Istanbul’s landmark Taksim Square and adjacent Gezi Par.

On Monday afternoon, Gov. Huseyin Avni Mutlu declared Gezi Park reopened to the public, but warned he would not allow it to become a point for more demonstrations. About three hours later, police asked the public to leave the park and closed it.

People cross their arms as riot police push them to leave Gezi Park in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, July 8, 2013. (Photo : AP Photo/Gero Breloer)

An Associated Press journalist at the scene said police used shields to push some laggards out of the park, fired tear gas at a few protesters who struck a police shield, and detained a dozen people. Some protesters were seen hurling stones at a police water cannon.

The Istanbul Bar Association said around 30 demonstrators were rounded up, including members of a group opposed to Taksim’s redevelopment who had called Monday’s Gezi protest. The Istanbul Medical Association said several people were injured.

Mutlu said on his Twitter account that the park was shut down again because there were “many calls to turn Gezi Park into an area of unlawful demonstrations and occupation.”

Gezi had been cordoned off since June 15, when police forcibly evacuated thousands of environmentalists who occupied it amid widespread protests against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.

Turkish riot police uses a water cannon and tear gas during clashes with protesters in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, July 8, 2013. (Photo : AP Photo/Gero Breloer)

The park is one of a few green areas in the center of Istanbul. Government plans to redevelop Taksim and build a replica Ottoman-era military barracks at Gezi sparked the protests. But they quickly turned into an outpouring of discontent with Erdogan’s government.

Opponents say Erdogan, who came to power a decade ago, has become increasingly authoritarian – a charge the prime minister rejects and points to the 50 percent support his party received at elections in 2011.

The protests have largely tapered off since June.

On Saturday, however, police used tear gas to break up a few thousand demonstrators planning to break through police cordons to enter Gezi. More than 50 people were detained.

Turkish riot police close down Taksim Square before clashes between police and protestors in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, July 8, 2013. (Photo : AP Photo/Gero Breloer)

The media rights group, Reporters Without Borders, said at least 12 journalists were attacked by police during Saturday’s protest and at least two were in police custody.

“We deplore the continuing abuses by police, who are still using tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets, still insulting and beating and journalists,” the group said.

Last month an Istanbul court ruled against the redevelopment plans, but the decision is not final and is expected to be appealed at a higher administrative court.

At least four people – three protesters and a police officer – were killed in the widespread protests in June.

Erdogan has dismissed the protests by the mainly middle class, urban and secular-oriented Turks as a foreign-led conspiracy against his government and has held counter rallies to shore up support among his more conservative base. <AP/NEWSis>