About 300 people attempted to protest Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu in Tunceli province on Sunday, but police did not allow them to hold their demonstration and fired tear gas at gathering protesters.
A left-leaning group, including members from the Association of Democratic People, attempted to protest the arrival of Davutoğlu, who went to Tunceli on Sunday afternoon to attend a provincial congress of his party, meet some representatives of civil society organizations and visit a cemevi (Alevi house of worship). Davutoğlu who came from Erzincan to Tunceli via helicopter on Sunday afternoon visited the Tunceli Governor's Office.
While Davutoğlu was at the governor's office, some 300 people gathered on Cumhuriyet Street and started shouting slogans against Davutoğlu. Among the slogans they shouted were: “The martyrs of Gezi are immortal!” and “Get out of Dersim!” Dersim is the former name of Tunceli.
When the protesters attempted to march toward the Tunceli Municipality building, where Davutoğlu was to pay a visit after his visit to the cemevi, riot police prevented them from marching.
A total of 1,500 additional riot police had been earlier dispatched to Tunceli from nearby provinces as a security precaution for Davutoğlu's visit.
When the protesters insisted on marching, the police began firing tear gas. The group, which dispersed after the police intervention, gathered again after a short while. The police took strict security measures around the locations where Davutoğlu is expected to visit.
Davutoğlu decided to cancel his visit to the municipality building due to the incident. (Cihan/Today's Zaman)
SHOTLIST TURKEY, TUNCELI, 23 NOV 2014
Riot police and protestor come face to face VAR of protestor attack police barricade Brief clash among police and demonstrators AKP's Suleyman Soylu passing thorough Protesting group marches VAR of clashes among police and protestors
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