>From: dhkcbureau <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] tus: > >Turkish London Eye protesters threaten to set themselves ablaze > >By Kate Kelland and Mike Peacock > >LONDON (Reuters) - Turkish protesters threatening to >set themselves on fire took over the giant London Eye ferris wheel, and >occupied the London offices of the European Commission on Wednesday, >witnesses said. > >The protesters, described by police as Kurds, told Reuters in a brief >telephone call from the European Commission building, thatthey were angered >by violent clashes between prisoners and security forces in Turkish prisons >this week. Police sent officers in riot gear into the EU building. They >estimated that between 10 and 20 people had locked themselves into a room >on the second floor. A police spokesman said fire officers and equipment >were on standby because of a risk that the protesters might start fires. > >"We believe they have inflammables of some description with them". Staff >were evacuated and streets cordoned off. A spokeswoman for the protesters >said: "This is a demonstration to show political prisoners in Turkey that >we are with them and we will be with them to the end. "The Turkish >authorities have been murdering them." Turkish security forces have laid >siege to two prisons where armed inmates have clashed with troops in >confrontations that have so far cost at least 19 lives. > >FEAR OF SELF-IMMOLATION > >A spokesman for British Airways, which runs the London Eye, said 22 >protesters had boarded the attraction and were occupying two of the wheel's >compartments. >"All passengers have been evacuated apart from the protesters and the >police have now taken over," he said. > >A police spokesman said: "They have a history of setting themselves on >fire and that is always a risk when they demonstrate." > >Police said the protesters who had taken over the London Eye, a major >tourist attraction on the south bank of the Thames, had threatened to set >fire to themselves. Earlier, a man and a woman chanting "Stop the >massacres in Turkish prisons!" were dragged by attendants from the public >gallery in the House of Commons while Tony Blair was answering questions >from members of parliament. The pair tried to unfurl a banner but it was >snatched by the attendants who then with considerable effort bundled them >both out. > >It was not the first time that Kurds have staged spectacular protests in >London. > >In February 1999, a group of 79 protesters occupied the Greek embassy for >three days following the arrest of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan in >Kenya. > >A 15-year-old girl outside the building set herself on fire during the >protest but survived. > > >-- >Press Agency Ozgurluk >In Support of the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Struggle in Turkey >http://www.ozgurluk.org >DHKC: http://www.ozgurluk.org/dhkc > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for geopolitics. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
