2 January 2010 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
Police maintained strict security precautions on New Year's Eve as İstanbul welcomed 2010 without negative incidents, unlike previous years. While previous New Year's celebrations in İstanbul were scenes of pickpocketing and sexual harassment, especially in Taksim, authorities deployed 5,000 police officers across the city in order to prevent any negative incidents.
Taksim Square and İstiklal Street were observed by 126 cameras installed in various spots and were under heightened security precautions, with 2,000 officers, including a security team of 300 officers disguised as street vendors and with some even wearing Santa Claus outfits. Police searched suspicious people and intervened in incidents as soon as they occurred. Many İstanbullites as well as tourists greeted the new year with festivities, gathering in Taksim Square and İstiklal Street, which were both decorated with lights for the new year.
 Harassment still occurred in Taksim despite heightened security precautions by police for New Year’s Eve. While fights broke out due to sexual harassment, civil police officers intervened in the incidents before they got out of hand and took dozens of people into custody. The detained individuals were taken to a police station in Taksim. |
An incident was prevented by police when two groups started to throw things at each other after one group chanted slogans supporting outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan and another group reacted against them in Taksim. A number of İstanbullites welcomed the new year on the Bosporus Bridge, with crowds lining up at the bridge’s entrances well before midnight. 2010’s first baby in İstanbul named Esma The first baby born in 2010 in İstanbul is named Esma. Hatice Özarslan gave birth to a baby girl at a Zeytinburnu hospital. The baby weighed 3.71 kilograms and is the third child of Hikmet and Hatice Özarslan. “We have three children. The other two are boys. Esma is our first daughter. We are very happy,” the father said.
 The first baby born in İstanbul in 2010 is named Esma. Father Hikmet Özarslan said they are delighted with the birth of their newborn daughter. |
