Turkish police used pepper spray to disperse a group of protesters as a march to mark International Women's Day ended in central Istanbul.
Women whistled and chanting “We are not silent, we are not afraid, we are not submitting” as they pushed riot police shields, sparking clashes with police, while the rest of the crowd of about 2,000 people dispersed.
Police had prevented the crowd from marching. in the city center after local authorities issued a statement saying they would not allow marches, demonstrations. Local metro stations had been closed since early afternoon.
"Government resign", the crowd chanted during the demonstration. “We are angry, we are in mourning, we are in a feminist uprising,” read a large banner held by protesters.
The march was organized a little more than two months before crucial Turkish elections, and just over a month after the devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey that killed more than 52,000 people.
Source: APE-MPE
