In Turkey, people camping out in protestagainst Alamos Gold’s Kirazli mine were violently evicted by the authorities who cited COVID-19 as the reason for their forced removal. Activists condemned the act, noting that the company still had security officials and personnel on-site. The activists were subsequently fined over US$ 7,000, with the authorities citing disobedience of COVID-19 sanitary measures. Mine development has been suspended since October 2019, when the Turkish government did not renew the company’s mine concessions following widespread protests to protect the Kaz mountains, water and land from mine contamination. Activists were peacefully  camping to ensure the company did not re-enter the mine, but, now that they were forced to leave, they worry that the government will activate the permit at any time.