Turkish Protesters Clash with Police after Young Man Dies

World | September 11, 2013, Wednesday // 13:23|  views

Turkey is facing another wave or protests against the government and police brutality, photo EPA/BGNES

Protesters in Turkey have once again clashed with police over the death of a 22-year-old demonstrator in the southern city of Antakya.

Ahmet Atakan died late on Monday evening, during a rally against police brutality in the crushing of protests in the country. Activist groups also called for protests in other Turkish cities, including Istanbul.

In June, another protester, Abdullah Comert, 22, died in Antakya during the initial wave of protests.

In a statement given to semi-official news agency Anadolu, the office of the governor of Hatay province, where Antakya is located, said Atakan had died "after he fell from a building" and that an investigation had been launched into his death.

Protesters also gathered in Istanbul Tuesday evening in response to the young man's death, with police using tear gas to disperse them. Some demonstrators could be seen throwing projectiles at the police, the BBC reports.

Last week students in the capital Ankara clashed with police for several days over plans to build a road across part of a university there.

In May, protests over plans to redevelop Gezi Park in central Istanbul sparked a nationwide wave of demonstrations, the most serious threat yet to the Islamic-leaning government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The rallies on Taksim square, near the park, grew into a protest movement against Erdogan's government and his increasingly authoritarian and intolerant rule.

Five other people have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces in Turkey in recent months.

Sporadic anti-government protests have continued in Turkish cities since the first wave of demonstrations.

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Tags: authoritarian, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Antakya, Ankara, Gezi park, taksim square, Istanbul, rallies, rally, protest, protest, Turkish, turkey

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