Turkish interior min. says union strike ‘illegal’
Iran Press TV
Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:47PM GMT
Turkish interior minister says the ongoing nationwide strike by unions in protest at police violence against anti-government demonstrators is "illegal."
"There is an attempt to bring people on to the streets through illegal protests like a strike," Turkish Interior Minister Muammer Guler said on Monday.
“I want to state that it will not be permitted," he added.
Guler warned that police will confront any anti-government protesters who come out to the streets as part of the strike.
Two of Turkey's main trade unions began a nationwide strike on Monday in protest at a police raid on a protester camp in Istanbul's Gezi Park.
The strike by Turkish union confederations, DISK and KESK, comes a day after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended his crackdown on an Istanbul protest park.
"Our demand is for police violence to end immediately," Baki Cina, a spokesman for KESK said on Sunday.
The unions represent hundreds of thousand of workers and the stoppage is likely to affect schools, hospitals and public offices across the country.
Three other groups representing doctors, engineers and dentists said they will also join the action.
On Saturday night, police stormed the protest camp in the park, firing tear gas and using water cannons to disperse thousands of protesters defying Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s order to leave.
On Sunday, Erdogan said it was his "duty" to order riot police to evict protesters staying at Gezi Park.
The unrest in Turkey erupted after police broke up a sit-in staged at Taksim Square on May 31 to protest against a government plan for the redevelopment of Gezi Park.
Five people, including a police officer, have reportedly died in the clashes and more than 5,000 protesters and 600 police officers have been wounded.
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