40 Tragic Pictures From Turkey As Clashes Erupt After Death Of 15-Year-Old Berkin Elvan

   

Two of Turkey’s biggest cities descended into chaos on Tuesday after the death of a young boy who was hit on the head during protests last year. Mourners and demonstrators gathered in Istanbul and Ankara, the country’s two biggest cities, leading to violent clashes with police, who fired water cannon and tear gas to disperse the crowd.


Berkin Elvan became an unwitting victim of the protests in June last year when he was struck by a tear gas canister. The then-14-year-old, who became embroiled in the street battles having only left the house to buy some bread, slipped into a coma shortly after the incident. On Tuesday it was announced that he had died, with his coffin carried through the street draped in red carnations.

Having become an icon of the anti-government protests, Elvan’s death sparked thousands to take to the streets. The demonstrators in Ankara chanted: “Government of Erdogan, government of corruption, resign resign". Similar scenes were witnessed in the capital, where a social media campaign encouraged the protesters to leave their homes and rally against the beleaguered government.

•  
  A protester holds a placard displaying a portrait, reading 'We want justice for Berkin Elvan' after the announcement of the death of the teenager on March 11, 2014, in Ankara.
  
•  
  A protestor holds a placard displaying a portrait of Berkin Elvan after the announcement of the death of the teenager on March 11, 2014, in Ankara.
  
•  
  Riot police uses water cannons on March 11, 2014 in Ankara, to disperse people protesting against the death of Berkin Elvan.
•   
  A woman cries during a rally following the announcement of Berkin Elvan's death on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
• 
  A protester holds a picture of Berkin Elvan during clashes with riot police in Kadikoy, on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, on March 11, 2014. 
•  
  People run away as anti-riot olice fires water cannon to disperse thousands of people demonstrating following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara. 
• 
  People run away as anti-riot olice fires water cannon to disperse thousands of people demonstrating following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara. 
•  
  People protect themselves behind a trash can as anti-riot olice fires water cannon to disperse thousands of people demonstrating following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara. 
•  
  Riot policemen fire water cannon to disperse thousands of people demonstrating following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara. 
•  
  Riot policemen fire tear gas to disperse thousands of people demonstrating following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara. 
•  
  People run away as riot policemen fire tear gas to disperse thousands of people demonstrating following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara.
•  
  A man runs away as riot policemen fire water cannon to disperse thousands of people demonstrating following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara. 
•  
  People gather following the announcement of Berkin Elvan's death on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
•  
  Relatives of Berkin Elvan cry as his coffin of is carried on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
•  
  Thousands of people demonstrate following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara. 
•  
  The coffin of Berkin Elvan is carried on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
•  
  Thousands of people demonstrate near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year on March 11, 2014 in Ankara. 
•  
  People run away as anti-riot police fires tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of people demonstrating following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara. 
•  
  Thousands of people demonstrate near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year on March 11, 2014 in Ankara. 
•  
  Police fires water cannon to disperse thousands of people demonstrating near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 in Ankara. 
•  
  People hold portraits of Berkin Elvan during a sit-in demonstration following the announcement of his death by his familly on March 11, 2014 in Ankara. 
•  
  People hold portraits of Berkin Elvan during a sit-in demonstration following the announcement of his death by his family on March 11, 2014 in Ankara. 
•  
  A loaf of bread is set on a picture showing Berkin Elvan during a sit-in demonstration following the announcement of his death by his familly on March 11, 2014 in Ankara. 
•  
  The mother (C) of 15-year-old Berkin Elvan cries after her son died at Okmeydani Hospital in Istanbul on March 11, 2014. 
•  
  A Turkish leftist protestor is detained by Turkish police on January 13, 2014 in Istanbul.
•  
  An anti-goverment protestor shows a poster of Berkin Elvan, a teenager who was shot in his head with teargas capsule, to a policemen during a demonstration at Taksim square on July 31, 2013 in Istanbul. 
•  
  A man left a piece of bread and a placard reading: 'I've been shot while going to buy bread. Berkin's killer is the government' while people wait for the coffin of Berkin Elvan outside a morgue on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
•  
  Police fires water cannon to disperse thousands of people demonstrating near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 in Ankara.
•  
  Riot policemen fire tear gas to disperse thousands of people demonstrating following the death of Berkin Elvan, a teenage boy wounded in mass anti-government demonstrations last year, on March 11, 2014 near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara. 
•  
  A Turkish protester kicks back a teargas canister fired by riot policemen during clashes outside Okmeydani Hospital in Istanbul on March 11, 2014. 
•  
  Riot police use water cannon to disperse anti-government protesters near the Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in Ankara on March 11, 2014. Police fired tear gas and water cannon at around 1,000 students who gathered outside the Middle East Technical University, an opposition stronghold, and blocked a major highway. 
•  
  Turkish protesters attack a riot police vehicle during clashes outside Okmeydani Hospital in Istanbul on March 11, 2014. 
•  
  A Turkish protester holds a police baton and shield during clashes between riot police and demonstrators outside Okmeydani Hospital in Istanbul on March 11, 2014. 
•  
  A Turkish protester pushes a garbage container during clashes with riot policemen outside Okmeydani Hospital in Istanbul on March 11, 2014. 
•  
  A Turkish protester makes the victory sign behind a police shield during clashes between riot police and demonstrators outside Okmeydani Hospital in Istanbul on March 11, 2014. 
•  
  Turkish protesters unload bags of police gear from a riot police bus during clashes outside Okmeydani Hospital in Istanbul on March 11, 2014. 
•  
  The coffin of Berkin Elvan is carried on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
•  
  Turkish protesters attack a riot police vehicle during clashes outside Okmeydani Hospital in Istanbul on March 11, 2014. 
•  
  The mother of Berkin Elvan (C) cries as his coffin of is carried on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
•  
  The coffin of Berkin Elvan is carried on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
•  
  The coffin of Berkin Elvan is carried on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
•  
  The coffin of Berkin Elvan is carried on March 11, 2014, in Istanbul. 
• 
  Turkish riot police use water cannon to disperse protestors during an anti government demonstration after Berkin Elvan, aged 15, died after 296 days in a coma, in Ankara, Turkey, 11 March 2014.