We have now reached the 10th day of protests that, beginning at Taksim Gezi Park, saw the demand for “freedom” from citizens from every corner of our country.

Our concerns have been heightened by the events that happened in Ankara and Rize on the same day that the demands of millions of our citizens that echo in the streets were delivered to the country’s highest authority, the Prime Ministry and to Mr. Bülent Arınç.

One of the most important of the clear demands was “everyone who prevented the use of the most basic democratic rights of the people; who gave orders for violent repression, enforced or implemented these orders and who are responsible for the thousands of injured people and two deaths are dismissed from their posts, and the use of tear gas bombs and other similar materials is prohibited.”

However, last night the continued interventions with tear gas and pressurised water in Ankara increased all of our concerns and were also a sign that the issue had not been fully understood.

We would like to highlight once again that our main and most urgent demand is that such interventions cease immediately and that those responsible are removed from office.

We would also like to reiterate that the events in Rize and the provocative actions aimed at increasing social tensions that continued until 11pm are unacceptable and have greatly increased the responsibility of the country’s leaders.

Taksim Solidarity