Istanbul governor urges people not to gather in Taksim again

ISTANBUL

Some provocateurs among the protesters wounded two security officers in Taksim with guns, Istanbul governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu said June 16. DHA photo

Istanbul Gov. Hüseyin Avni Mutlu warned people not to come to Taksim, vowing to prevent all gatherings in the iconic square, today at a press conference.

“We will not allow any gathering in Taksim under the current circumstances. We are taking all kinds of security measures in this respect. I ask the people, do not come to Taksim,” Mutlu said, adding that the calls for people to gather in Taksim did not contribute to the security of the country.

A total of 22 people, including Çarşı members – supporters of the Beşiktaş football team – and one doctor have been detained, said the governor.

Mutlu said two wounded citizens had also been hospitalized, bringing the total number of people hospitalized to four.

Some provocateurs among the protesters wounded two security officers in Taksim with guns, he said.

The two security officials have undergone surgery and their situation is stable now, he added.

One senior police officer was wounded with a gunshot to his groin and the other police officer was wounded in his foot during the police’s intervention into protests in Istanbul, said the governor.

Mutlu claimed that some provocateurs had used guns against the police for the first time during the Gezi Park incidents.