Erdogan Orders Istanbul Lockdown on Gezi Protests Anniversary

Turkish authorities shut down transportation and thousands of police descended on Istanbul’s central square in a show of force by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the anniversary of the Gezi Park protests.

Erdogan, 60, is seeking to prevent a repeat of last year’s events, which spiraled from an environmental sit-in into more than two weeks of nationwide anti-government demonstrations that sent millions into the streets and markets tumbling. Erdogan says those protesting against him in his 12th year in office aren’t sincere and won’t be allowed to gather in public spaces.