Thousands protest over ‘Islamisation’ of Turkey

Turkish police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of secularists protesting against what they see as an increasingly authoritarian and Islamist government after a rally in Ankara was banned.

Although premier Tayyip Erdogan won a third term in power last year with 50 per cent of the vote, many secular Turks fear his socially conservative AK Party has Islamist tendencies that threaten the secular republic founded by Ataturk.

“They are trying to turn us into another Iran or some kind of neo-Ottoman Empire,” said 64-year-old Erdem Sevinc. “We are against this. We are here today to send a message to those who are trying to destroy the principles of this republic.”

The local government in Ankara, also controlled by the AK Party, banned the rally citing “intelligence” that it would be used for “provocation”, a move protesters said was designed to silence government opponents.

“Why have they banned this march? Because they are scared,” said Metin Alkan, 68.

“Look at us, do we look like a danger?” he added, laughing.

Waving Turkish flags, several thousand people had gathered outside the old parliament building to try to march to Ataturk’s mausoleum to mark the 89th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic.