Nearly 3,000 activists gathered to protest against Cengiz Holding Mining Company's decision to cut down a forest to make way for a gold and copper ore mine in the Artvin area of northern Turkey. Security forces had begun closing off roads there on 15 February in preparation for the area to become a mine construction site.
Locals fear that the mine will damage the Artvin forest and reacted by building barricades on the roads, lying down along the tracks and blocking the gateways, while clashing with Turkish riot police. Some demonstrators used their cars to block the road towards the proposed site.
Trucks were later seen arriving in an attempt to tow away some 300 cars, with police using tear gas against the protesters who were hurling stones at them.
Turkish people build a barricade as they clash with riot police during a protest against a mine project in ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPTurkish people run amid tear gas as they clash with riot police during a protest against a mine project in ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPSmokes rises from the forest as demonstrators clash with riot police Yasin Akgul /AFPA woman wipes a friend's eyes after they are affected by tear gas Yasin Akgul /AFPTurkish people clash with riot police during a protest against a mine projectYasin Akgul /AFPTurkish demonstrators stand near burning tyres during a protest in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul/ AFPTurkish demonstrators run away from teargas as they clash with turkish riot police during a protest in a bid to block construction work of a gold mine project in an ecologically pristine area in the Black Sea region, in Artvin, TurkeyYasin Akgul/ AFPTurkish demonstrators dig a trench during a protest in a bid to block construction work of a gold mine project in an ecologically pristine area in the Black Sea region in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul/ AFPTurkish demonstrators stand near burning tyres during a protest in northern Turkish city of Artvin, TurkeyYasin Akgul/ AFPTurkish demonstrators run away from teargas as they clash with turkish riot police during a protest in a bid to block construction work of a gold mine project in an ecologically pristine area in the Black Sea region in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul/ AFPTurkish demonstrators lay rocks on the road to block the access for vehicles during a protest in a bid to block construction work of a gold mine project in an ecologically pristine area in the Black Sea region in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul/ AFPPolice prepare to fire tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters trying to prevent a gold mine from being built in an ecologically pristine area in the Black Sea region, during a protest outside the premises of the Cengiz Holding conglomerate in Ankara, TurkeyAdem Altan/ Getty ImagesTurkish people clash with riot police during a protest against mine project in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPPolice stand guard by Environmental activists during a protest outside the premises of the Cengiz Holding conglomerate in Ankara, to prevent a gold mine from being built in an ecologically pristine area in the Black Sea regionAdem Altan/ Getty ImagesTurkish people run amid teargas as they clash with riot police during a protest against mine project in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPTurkish people build a barricade during a protest against mine project in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPTurkish demonstrator stand in the woods during a protest against mine project in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPTurkish people build a barricade during a protest against mine project in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPA Turkish man runs with a piece of tree as demonstrators clash with riot police during a protest against mine project in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPTurkish demonstrators gather next to a fire during a protest against a mine project in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPTurkish people set a barricade on fire during a protest against mine project in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFPTurkish demonstrator sets branches on fire during a protest against a mine project in northern Turkish city of ArtvinYasin Akgul /AFP
