Marchers sing the anthem as water cannon clear the government district

TALAS — Several thousand students and delivery couriers marched from Talas State University toward the government district yesterday afternoon to protest the municipal licensing surcharge on independent technology startups and couriers announced this month.

As police and units of the Republican Gendarmerie blocked the avenue, the front ranks stopped and sang the first stanza and refrain of “The Spirit of Irad”, most with their right hands over their hearts. Officers moved in with tear gas and water cannon minutes later. Marchers who regrouped in side streets sang the anthem again, along with songs by the Mor-Wave duo tüntolk.

Student groups said dozens were detained. The city police and the Gendarmerie did not give figures. Mobile data was unavailable in central Talas for much of the evening; Attelkom did not respond to questions.

The municipal administration has said the surcharge is needed to regulate a fast-growing sector. The protests began after the commentator Jason Ilyasov criticized the levy on IradOne’s OneDebate. Most participants interviewed by the Herald said they had come through messaging groups and belonged to no party.