End police violence and protect park, Turkish protesters tell deputy PM

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

Taksim Platform members opposing the construction of a mall in Gezi Park have conveyed their demands to Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç. DAILY NEWS photo / Emrah Gürel

Taksim Platform members who initially opposed the construction of a mall in Gezi Park have conveyed their demands to Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç, requesting an end to police violence, the protection of the green space, and an end to the use of tear gas against protesters.

Members of the platform, who have objected to the Taksim Square Pedestrianization Project from the beginning, met with Arınç today in Ankara.

Three people have died in protests across Turkey that followed the initial demonstration in Gezi Park.

Taksim Platform's demands are as follows:

• Gezi Park should remain as a park with no construction permitted on its grounds;

• The Atatürk Culture Center should not be demolished;

• Law enforcement officers who have escalated the violence should be investigated and removed from office;

• The use of tear gas should be banned;

• All protesters under custody should be unconditionally released;

• All obstacles preventing freedom of expression should be lifted.