Families of the 301 miners who lost their life while working in Soma district of Manisa on 13 May 2014, continue to ask for justice and have marched from Manisa province to Turkish capital Ankara to reiterate their demand for justice to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK).

Families accompanied by lawyers have reached Ankara and tried to get to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors, facing obstruction by the police as the Governorate did not allow their gathering because “it is unpermitted”.

Police then attacked the mass with tear gas and assaulted the journalists covering the meeting. A person, reportedly a lawyer for the families, was taken into custody and a group chanting slogans in solidarity with the Soma families were also attacked.

Mothers who lost their beloved ones in the mine disaster protested the police crackdown, shouting “murderers”.

As families keep waiting in the area, a police director threatened the mass, saying; “Get on the bus, otherwise I will sweep all of you off.”