Turkey protesters battle police in attempt to reach Taksim Square

Turkish police used tear gas and water cannons Saturday against protesters seeking to commemorate the anniversary of protests that began in Gezi park, part of Istanbul’s Taksim Square — which became the epicenter of what became a nation-wide protest movement.

Several hundred anti-government protesters gathered in streets near the square, but were blocked by thousands of police deployed to keep Taksim clear. Teargas was and water cannons were fired on demonstrators — and clashes with police continued, local news reported.

Haberturk TV reported that police used plastic bullets on protesters near the Square. Hurriyet reported that several people were injured and hospitalized after a street vendor's trolley was hit by a water cannon, shattering its glass.

In Ankara, the country’ capital, police also used tear gas against people gathering in Kizilay Square, Hurriyet Daily News, a Turkish news outlet, reported.

At least 30 people have reportedly been detained by authorities in Istanbul while trying to make their way to Taksim Square on Istiklal Avenue, according to local news.

Turkey’s prime minister had earlier warned would-be protestors not to return to Taksim Square on the anniversary of massive demonstrations at the site sparked by development plans for an adjoining park.

"You will not be able to come to those places like you did last year,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News. Riot police circled the perimeter of the square on Saturday, with Erdogan warning that security forces will do all that they can to keep the area clear.

Tens of thousands of officers were deployed to the square in anticipation of a planned gathering at 7 p.m. local time (midday EST) to commemorate victims of the police crackdown last year.

The Gezi Park protests started on May 31, 2013 as a peaceful action to save the park — which was reportedly going to be turned into a mall — but after a police crackdown on largely nonviolent rallies, it quickly mushroomed into massive nation-wide protests. Eight protesters were killed and thousands wounded.

Erdogan blamed the violence on protesters: “Violence is where there is no thought and opinion. The Gezi people are those who have no thought. They never planted a tree,” the prime minister said Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.

This year, Erdogan — whose Justice and Development Party (AKP) won a landslide victory in local elections in March amid corruption allegations, damaging security leaks, and controversial social media bans — has deployed at least 25,000 police officers and 50 water cannons to the square to prevent crowds from gathering.

There will be no barriers blocking access to Taksim Square, but large groups will not be allowed to gather on roads leading to the site, Cihan, a Turkish news outlet, reported.

Police have also been deployed on the Bosporus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges to prevent large amounts of people from gathering for the one-year anniversary. A police helicopter will be deployed to track any large crowds approaching the city, according to Cihan.

Taksim Solidarity Group, an umbrella organization for protest movements involved with the 2013 Gezi Park protests, said Tuesday that they would protest despite Erdogan’s warnings.

“We will be on the streets, with millions of people, with tens of different languages, different voices and all of our colors,” it said in a statement.

Mucella Yapici, spokeswoman for Taksim Solidarity, said the group had not dropped its demands — including the dismissal of charges against those involved in the protests and accountability from the police and government over protester deaths and injuries at demonstrations last year.

"The government is pushing a climate of tension with policies encouraging police violence," Yapici said, pointing to the heavy police presence on May Day, a clampdown on protests after this month's mine disaster in the western town of Soma, and violence following a funeral for a protester who died after almost a year in a coma.

With Reuters