Police on alert on Gezi's second anniversary

Riot police and water cannons stood on alert on May 31 as Taksim Square and Gezi Park, alongside numerous roads and metro stations leading to Taksim, were closed to prevent gatherings called by Taksim Solidarity, a collective organization of several rights groups at the center of the Gezi Park protests, to commemorate the second anniversary of the nationwide anti-government protests. 

The Istanbul Police Department released a statement on May 30 announcing the roads which would be closed on May 31, starting 9 a.m., alongside a list of alternate routes. 

?In addition to the Gümü?suyu, Mete and S?raselviler Avenues which lead to Taksim Square, the Tarlaba?? tunnel connection to Taksim will also be closed,? the statement said. 

The Kabata? funicular station connecting Kabata? to Taksim, and Taksim metro station itself, were also closed. 

Commemoration at Istiklal Avenue

Regardless of measures to prevent people from reaching Taksim, a group of approximately 250 people gathered at ?stiklal Avenue at 1 p.m. to commemorate victims who died during the protests as a result of police violence. 

Republican People?s Party (CHP) Deputy Chair Sezgin Tanr?kulu, Istanbul?s CHP candidate Umut Oran, Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) chair Alper Ta? and Gülsüm Elvan, mother of 15-year-old Berkin Elvan who died 269 days after being shot in the head by a gas canister, were amongst the crowd.

Elvan made a speech criticizing the manners of President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, who made a crowd boo the mourning Elvans on March 14, 2014. 

?My son was shot at age 14. He persevered at an intensive care unit for 269 days, but couldn?t survive. He [Erdo?an] failed to relate to our pain and he continues to talks...