Police intervene with water cannons and tear gas in union march in Ankara

ANKARA

Water cannons were on duty and tear gas filled the air in Ankara as police did not allow members of the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK) to march towards the city center. DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

Police intervened with tear gas and water cannon against a march organized by members of the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK) on Aug. 20. The group consisted of four separate groups who had started marching towards Ankara as of Aug. 16 in order to protest a collective agreement between the government and the Civil Servants’ Trade Union (Memur-Sen). 

After reading a press statement in front of the Labor Ministry on Aug. 20, the group wanted to march to Kızılay through Celal Bayar Avenue, where the police intervention began. 

The crowd then dispersed, vowing to meet again later the same evening in Güvenpark, Kızılay to convene a forum later in the afternoon.