Hundreds of Turkish workers gather in Istanbul to protest government

Hundreds of Turkish workers marched in central Istanbul Saturday evening to protest the government's economic liberalization measures, Xinhua reported.

Around 500 people gathered in Istanbul's Istiklal Avenue at 5 p. m. for a rally organized by the Labor Party and marched down to the Taksim square, holding anti-government banners and shouting slogans such as "May the anti-worker government resign."

Guven Gercek, head of Labor Party's Istanbul office, said the popular movement in Turkey was caused by the government's " disregard" for workers after two explosions happened Thursday in Ankara's industrial zone, which killed 17 workers.

The protestors were dispersed without incident at the Taksim square.