BirGun: Police bashed up 25 people in Sancaktepe

son25 people returning from a rally last night in Sancaktepe in support with Gezi Park demonstrations were hospitalized after being beaten up by the police. While 22 of the protesters were sent back home after being treated immediately, 3 of them who were in more serious status were referred to Kartal Research Hospital after the initial treatment in Sancaktepe District Hospital.

The events started due to the police intervention to demonstrations that took place everyday with increasing participation of the people from Sancaktepe Sarigazi center, Yenidogan and Samandira. Throwing of pepper gas by police at the entrance of Sarigazi Democracy Street and using disproportionate force resulted in the clashes and the events lasted until 1.30 am.

It has been reported that 37 year old school bus driver Baris Yaman, who was taken by the police while walking to a side street to get his car after the demonstrations ended, was heavily injured and has burns on his body due to being thrown to the fire after being beaten by the police..

CHP (Republican People’s Party) Sancaktepe District Chief Dr. Hakki Saglam, stated that 4 people who were also beaten and were party members were sent to Kartal Research Hospital after receiving the initial treatment at Sancaktepe District Hospital. Saglam also stated that Baris Yaman who lost one eye and is in a fatal course, could only be rushed into surgery with the initiatives of Kartal Deputy Mayor Gulseren Buyuktas and alderman Kemal Berk. Saglam reported that Selcuk Yildiz and Sabri Ulucan who were exposed to the police violence besides Yaman, are also in life-critical conditions.

Saglam, who shared that the shopkeepers in the area are complaining about how the pepper gas canisters thrown by the police broke into their shops and houses through the windows and numerous shop windows were broken, also told that some shopkeepers still cannot enter their shops because of the amount of pepper gas thrown inside. Saglam added that they could identify 26 shops that were damaged as a result of gas canisters and rubber bullets.

5 June 2013
Source: http://www.birgun.net

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