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6/2/13

Turkey protests: Hundreds reoccupy Istanbul square

Hundreds of protesters have reoccupied a central square in Istanbul following two days of violent demonstrations that saw almost 1,000 people arrested.

The situation is generally calm and city workers are clearing up after the protests in Istanbul and Ankara.
Officials say 26 police and 53 civilians were hurt, one seriously.

The protests represent the most sustained anti-government unrest for a number of years.

The BBC's James Reynolds in Istanbul says a lot of people are fed up with the government, which they believe wants to take away some of their personal freedoms.

Amnesty International claimed two people had been killed and more than 1,000 injured, though there was no confirmation of those figures.

Amnesty's Europe director John Dalhuisen said: "The excessively heavy-handed response to the entirely peaceful protests in Taksim has been truly disgraceful."

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in power since 2002, and is expected to run for the presidency in 2014.  "A local politician said if that is not a dictatorship what else is? "

Read more: BBC News - Turkey protests: Hundreds reoccupy Istanbul square

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