Turkish riot police on Tuesday fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse a rally called by ousted opposition leader Ozgur Ozel.
The rally took place in the coastal city of Izmir around midday (0900 GMT) as Turkey began preparations to shut down for four days to mark the religious holiday of Eid al-Adha, also known as the Greater Eid.
Before the rally began, the governorate ordered the closure of the city's central Cumhuriyet Square and deployed a large number of riot police with water cannon trucks to break up the flag-waving crowd, according to Turkish media reports.
"President Ozgur, free Turkey!" they shouted in scenes broadcast live on TV.
The demonstration moved to a nearby location and continued peacefully. Ozel addressed his supporters from a bus in Izmir, a city considered a stronghold of the secular opposition.Protesters take to the streets to voice support for Ozgur OzelImage: Berkcan Zengin/REUTERS
