Dozens Arrested as Turkey Police Thwart Rally over Protester's Death

Turkish police on Friday arrested 60 people after boarding two buses of demonstrators planning to protest outside President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's presidential palace in Ankara over the fatal wounding of a protester in 2013 rallies against his rule.

Police used pepper sprays inside the bus and roughly arrested the demonstrators, who were members of the Popular Front leftist group, an AFP photographer reported.

Television footage showed police swinging punches and kicking as they arrested activists inside the bus.

The protesters were seeking to commemorate Berkin Elvan, a teenager who died in March 2014 after spending 269 days in a coma due to injuries inflicted by the police in the mass anti-government protests of 2013.

According to NTV television, 60 people were arrested.

The tough action by police comes as parliament prepares to debate a security bill bolstering police powers that critics claim could turn the country into a police state.

Under the bill, police would be allowed to arrest, and even fire on, those suspected of possessing banned objects at a protest including Molotov cocktails, stones and other sharp objects.

Debates on the bill are expected to begin on February 10 after being postponed from this week. 

Its introduction follows violent protests in October in southeastern Turkey and Istanbul over Turkey's Syria policy that left scores dead. 

The Turkish authorities have repeatedly cracked down on attempts to hold protests outside Erdogan's well-guarded palace, which opened last year and is seen by opponents as a symbol of authoritarian extravagance.