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Crowds face police intervention as they gather to commemorate Ankara massacre victims

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Turkish police on Monday used force against people and detained dozens who wanted to gather in front of Ankara’s central train station to commemorate the victims of a twin suicide attack on the massacre’s first anniversary.

A total of 104 people were killed and more than 400 were injured on Oct.10, 2015 when two Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) suicide bombers blew themselves up outside Ankara’s central train station during a demonstration calling for peace in the country. It was the biggest terrorist attack in the history of the Turkish Republic.

On Monday morning, police set up barricades to prevent people from reaching the train station and used tear gas, pressurized water and plastic bullets to disperse the crowds. Only family members of the victims were allowed in the commemoration area.

On Sunday, a group of protestors who wanted to hold a march in Bursa to commemorate the victims of the Ankara attack also faced police intervention.

The police used force against the protestors, injuring some of them and detaining 36.

On Saturday Turkey prohibited any mass meetings, protests or marches organized to commemorate the victims of the Ankara attack.

The Ankara Police Department issued a statement on Saturday stating that only family members of the victims and representatives of civilian groups in symbolic numbers would be allowed to participate in a commemoration ceremony to be held in front of the station.

Authorities cite a state of emergency that is currently in effect in Turkey as the reason for the prohibition of mass meetings and protests.

The Turkish government declared a state of emergency in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt on July 15.

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