Turkish Riot Police Disperse Protesters With Tear Gas

Reuters

Turkish police detain a protester during an anti-government protest in central Istanbul.

Turkish riot police have fired tear gas and water cannon at hundreds of protesters in Istanbul and Ankara. The protesters were demonstrating against a controversial new internet censorship bill.

Police forcefully dispersed protesters chanting anti-government slogans in Istanbul's central Taksim Square on Saturday, with demonstrators attempting to escape into side streets.

Around 300 protesters gathered in the capital Ankara, with smaller demonstrations also taking place in the coastal city of Izmir.

One protester told Euronews: "I'm here to defend my internet right. It's wrong to be banned by somebody while you pay for the internet. I'm protesting about that. And censorship is a crime."

The draft bill is due to be debated in Turkey's parliament and would enable the mass surveillance of internet users.

I'm here to defend my internet right. Censorship is a crime

Turkish protester

The proposed law would increase controls on internet usage and give the government the authority to order web hosts to keep records of users' web activity for up to two years.

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Turkish Riot Police Disperse Protesters With Tear Gas