Protest in Istanbul over virus restrictions

(11 Sep 2021) Thousands of people gathered in Istanbul on Saturday to protest against COVID-19 restrictions. Unmasked crowds met in Maltepe, an open space on the city's Asian side, to call for an end to restrictions designed to combat the virus. Among the protesters was journalist Abdurrahman Dilipak, a reporter for the Islamic newspaper Yeni Akit. He said he believed restrictions need to be eased as there was “no need“ for people to wear masks or get vaccinated against the virus. “Human health needs to be strengthened,“ he added. Turkey has seen a rise in cases and deaths since it lift restrictions in July following a strict lockdown. Daily infections have increased from around 5,000 to more than 20,000. Less than half of Turkey's 94 million population has been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: https://www.f