Two people died in Turkey’s worst day of unrest since last summer’s anti-government protests.  The unrest spread from the funeral of a 15-year old boy who died this week, nine months after he was injured during disturbances last June.

Police fired water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets in Istanbul to stop tens of thousands of protesters from reaching the central Taksim square, the heart of last year’s resistance.  Riot cops with clubs chased pockets of protesters into alleys and side streets.

“There were two groups attacking the police and one youth suffered a head injury, and lost his life,” said ruling party official Aziz Babuscu.  In addition to the protester in Istanbul, a police officer in the eastern part of the country died after suffering a heart attack during the unrest, which took place in several cities.

The protesters chanted, “Tayyip! Killer!” in reference to authoritarian Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who ordered the brutality against last year’s protests in which 15-year-old Berkin Elvan suffered head injuries and subsequently spent his remaining days in a coma until he died this week, provoking the people once again.  Berkin wasn’t even a protester; he was just out fetching bread for his Mum.  No cops were ever charged in Berkin’s murder.  His mother blamed Erdogan – But the Prime Minister blamed the unrest on yet another “plot” against the state.