Turkey police fire tear gas at protesters

About 300 protesters gathered near Taksim Square, Istanbul, the centre of the protests that rocked the country in June.

Turkey protests
Turkish riot police fire teargas during the July protests in Istanbul [AP]

Turkish riot police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at hundreds of anti-government protesters in Istanbul, injuring at least 10 people, including three journalists.

Dozens were arrested on Saturday in fresh protests which broke out near Taksim square, the epicentre of the violent demonstrations that disrupted the country in June.

Some 300 protesters gathered early in the evening in support of the Gezi protest movement. 

“Together against fascism” the protesters shouted  amid heavy security. Protest flashpoints Taksim square and Gezi park were closed to the  public on Saturday.

The demonstration follows another violent protest on Wednesday night in a resurgence of the anti-government rallies which swept Turkey in June.

The original unrest was sparked by plans to redevelop Gezi Park, which is adjacent  to Taksim square, but soon evolved into a broader movement against the  government, seen as increasingly authoritarian.

According to police estimates, some 2.5 million people took to the streets in nearly 80 cities for three weeks to demand Prime Minister Recep Tayyip  Erdogan’s resignation.

Five people were killed and more than 8,000 injured in the civil unrest.

The authorities had closed the park to the public after police evicted  protesters on June 15. It was reopened earlier this month but demonstrators  remain banned.

Source: News Agencies