AN INTERNATIONAL band of protesters gathered in the centre of Nottingham to demonstrate against violence used by Turkish police on protesters.
At least 60 people turned up in the Old Market Square to condemn tear gas and baton charges being used on protesters in Istanbul, who were demonstrating against plans to build a shopping centre on top of a city park.
Huseyin Ongan Aydogdu, 26, who moved from Turkey in 2001 to Sneinton, initially set up a Facebook page after hearing of the news.
He hoped it would raise awareness of recent events in Turkey and get more residents to turn up at the protest in the city centre yesterday afternoon.
He said: "I am with the Turkish people 100 per cent and we are supporting them and showing them that there are people out here thinking of them."
People from all nationalities turned up to show their support at the Old Market Square protest, including residents living in Notts from Turkey, Cyprus, Greece and Azerbaijan.
Ozmen Sahinbozkir, 21, who moved from Turkey to study architecture at the University of Nottingham, said he believed the police were too forceful with protesters in Istanbul.
He said: "People wanted to express themselves freely and the police attacked people to silence them.
"Everyone should support the cause because it is not only about Turkey it is about human rights."
The city centre protesters have already gathered around 300 signatures for their petition to end the violence in Turkey, which they will send to MPs Chris Leslie, Lilian Greenwood and Graham Allen next week, in the hope that they will raise the issue in Parliament. Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood said: "I'm concerned about the violence occurring in Istanbul and some other cities in Turkey and hope that the British Government will soon make representations to the Turkish Government about the importance of respecting human rights."
