Istanbul: protesters brutalized at IMF summit

After two days of protests at the IMF/World Bank meeting in Istanbul Oct. 6-7, reports are mounting of arrested youth brutally beaten by police while in custody. Şerife Ceren Uysal of the Contemporary Lawyers Association said that of the 103 arrested on the first day of protests, 22 were underage. Uysal reported: “Many people were assaulted by the police while in detention. Arrested people were assaulted in the police buses, many of them sustained bruises and swellings.” (BiaNet, Oct. 9)

Protesters reportedly hurled firebombs at banks and police and smashed shop windows in the second day of protests. The protesters also reportedly stoned a police vehicle, prompting officers inside to fire warning shots in the air, while riot police used water canons and tear and pepper gas. (AP, Oct. 7)

Days earlier, harsh repression was reported at the G-20 protests in Pittsburgh.

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