[Al Ahram] Turkish riot police on Monday fired tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to block demonstrators from entering a small Istanbul park, the birthplace of deadly unrest that engulfed the country last month.The police move comes after Turkish authorities reopened Gezi Park to public use earlier in the day.
"Four people died for this park. This park will reopen!" a young demonstrator shouted, while others were trying to convince the police that their action was unfair and they should stop emptying the park.
But later in the day after police sealed off access to the central Taksim square and the adjacent park, a the cat-and-mouse game with protesters ensued in the nearby thoroughfares.
Earlier Monday when Turkish authorities reopened the park they warned that no further protests would be tolerated.
"Gezi Park has been reopened to public but there are many calls for unauthorised protests aimed at turning the park into an occupation zone," Istanbul governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu wrote on Twitter.