Student hit by rubber bullet during May Day protest in Ankara loses sight

Mesut Hasan BENLİ HÜRRİYET / ANKARA

Barış Ceyhan is also receiving psychological help after losing his sight in his left eye, father Mustafa Ceyhan says. Hürriyet Photo

A student who was hit by a rubber bullet in the face during a police crackdown on May Day in Ankara has lost his sight in his left eye, doctors have said.

The father of the high school student, Barış Ceyhan, told daily Hürriyet that they would take legal action against the police department.

“We are very sad. Doctors will undertake a new surgery to remove pieces of plastic that remain in his eye. We will file a complaint against police officers assigned [to the protests],” siad the father, Mustafa Ceyhan, adding that his son was also receiving psychological help.

May Day rallies both in Istanbul and Ankara were marked by almost continuous police crackdowns aimed at preventing demonstrators from gathering in the cities’ iconic squares, Taksim and Kızılay, respectively. Scores of demonstrators were injured during the crackdowns as police resorted to tear gas and water cannon, as well as rubber bullets.

B.C. was injured as he was joining a group of demonstrators who tried to break the ban on rallies in Kızılay Square.