Municipal worker wounded in urban demolition conflict
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Daily News with wires
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 13, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - A city worker was shot yesterday during an altercation with locals as municipal squads demolished 43 recently built houses and apartments in the Ümraniye neighborhood on the Asian side of Istanbul.
The dwellings were erected just before the March 29 local elections. Demolition teams from the Istanbul Greater Municipality and the Ümraniye Municipality arrived early in the morning with heavy police support to prevent serious opposition from locals, but major scuffles broke out as demolition vehicles neared.
Taken to hospital
During the demolition process, a driver of a demolition vehicle was shot at four times and hit in the neck and leg by two bullets. The police detained a suspect they identified as the shooter.
The driver of the vehicle was rushed to the hospital, where he was recovering from his injuries.
The police detained people trying to prevent the demolition as the municipal squads knocked down the illegally built dwellings.
An increase in illegal construction activity before elections is a widespread phenomena in Turkey, particularly in metropolises where construction is largely unplanned and where owners of such constructions hope the municipalities will turn a blind eye in return for election support.
Demolition squads left the neighborhood at noon after completing their work.
Taken to hospital
During the demolition process, a driver of a demolition vehicle was shot at four times and hit in the neck and leg by two bullets. The police detained a suspect they identified as the shooter.
The driver of the vehicle was rushed to the hospital, where he was recovering from his injuries.
The police detained people trying to prevent the demolition as the municipal squads knocked down the illegally built dwellings.
An increase in illegal construction activity before elections is a widespread phenomena in Turkey, particularly in metropolises where construction is largely unplanned and where owners of such constructions hope the municipalities will turn a blind eye in return for election support.
Demolition squads left the neighborhood at noon after completing their work.