Clashes broke out between police and demonstrators in Van following the mass rally BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) organized to mark the World Peace Day yesterday.

Following the mass rally in the city, police attacked a large group of youngsters in the neighborhood of Hacıbekir (Xaçort) using intense pressure water and tear gas. Four people were wounded, one seriously, and nine people were taken into custody by police during the clashes which lasted till late night.

Police also attacked the shops in the neighborhood, greatly damaging those in the area of clashes. Shopkeepers strongly responded to the police attack and criticized the ruling AKP government for instructing police forces to brutalise demonstrators.

Commenting the police attack as hostility, a shopkeeper in the area, Faruk Özhan said that police deliberately attacked their shops in order to make them suffer damages. “Our people are at the point of rising against police forces”, he added.

Police also attacked World Peace Day demonstrators in Şırnak's Cizre district as they closed the E-24 highway to traffic and started a march to voice their demands for peace.

Demonstrators responded to the police attack with stones and fireworks. Clashes later expanded to other neighborhoods in the district and lasted till late into the night.