US' Casey: "The freedom to demonstrate is a basic civic right"

Asked about incidents of political violence and tight safety measures during yesterday's May Day celebrations in Turkey, US State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey stressed the right to demonstrate, so long as such demonstrations are peaceful. "Certainly, we would encourage all countries to allow people to demonstrate peacefully and responsibly; that is a basic right of citizenship in a democratic country," he said. "Of course, those who are demonstrating also have the right, or have the responsibility to make sure that, as they express their views, they do so in a peaceful manner and don't engage in violence."