Turkish police break up protest against rising living costs

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish riot police have dispersed a protest in Istanbul by demonstrators denouncing the government’s economic policies and the surging cost of living. The protesters, mostly members of left-wing groups, were starting to gather in Istanbul’s Kadikoy district on Wednesday, when police intervened. The protesters were chanting slogans calling for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government to resign. Police used shields to break up the crowds and dragged some of the protesters away. More than 30 protesters were detained, according to Associated Press journalists at the scene. The protest comes amid rising inflation that has severely eroded the public’s purchasing power, high unemployment and a steep decline of the Turkish currency, the lira.