Turkey Soma Mine Disaster: Angry Protesters Force PM Erdogan To Take Refuge In Shop

2014-05-14T144602Z_1558763842_GM1EA5E1R4Y01_RTRMADP_3_TURKEY-MINE — Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan (L) visits the coal mine accident site in Soma, a district in Turkey's western province of Manisa, May 14, 2014. Hopes faded of finding more survivors at the mine, where 238 workers were confirmed killed and 120 more are still feared to be trapped in what is likely to prove the nation's worst ever industrial disaster. Reuters/Kayhan Ozer/Prime Minister's Press Office/Handout via Reuters

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was forced to take refuge in a shop as the relatives of dead miners besieged him in the small town of Soma, where 238 workers died Tuesday after an underground explosion.

A video that emerged online showed Erdoğan being booed, whistled and heckled by an angry mob before he was escorted to a shop by his security team.

Some people reportedly kicked his official car, while a crowd smashed up the local headquarters of the ruling AK Party.

Wow, video of PM Erdogan protested in Soma, taking refuge in a small shop. I don't think he's ever experienced this. http://t.co/oDpSUgcZfy
— Zeynep Tufekci (@zeynep) May 14, 2014

Chants of "Murderer" and "Thief" erupted around him amid demands that he resign. Eight relatives of dead miners were reportedly arrested in Soma for shouting insults.

Commentators agreed that Erdoğan's remarks incited public anger when he said that labor accidents such as the fatal explosion that killed hundreds at a coal mine in Soma are "normal." The prime minister said that coal mine explosions were a regular occurrence around the world. He cited incidents in Britain from the 19th century and accidents in China and Japan in the 1940s and 1960s.

Emotions also ran high amid accusations that Erdoğan's ruling AK Party as recently as April 29 dismissed a parliamentary motion submitted by the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) to investigate safety in the Soma mines.

Erdoğan's dismissed the criticism, saying the CHP motion had "nothing to do with the Soma mine."

Between 2000 and 2009, there were 25,655 accidents in mines run by the government agency. That resulted in 63 deaths and 26,324 injuries, Turkey's Mine Workers Union said.

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