The social protests currently sweeping through Turkey started with a dozen men and women who parked their tents in Gezi Park – one of the last remaining green spaces in central Istanbul – to protest a shopping mall development. One woman has died. (Update: We haven’t been able to confirm this with any major newspapers or organizations).And scores more have been injured as police forces crack down on a growing mob.
A rather innocent stand for nature took a dramatic turn when police attacked the park protestors with pepper spray and destroyed their tents during the early hours of the morning on May 30, 2013.
Now, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in cities across Turkey – from Ankara to Izmir – despite a violent government crackdown.
“Police are throwing gas bombs from helicopters,” a Turkish designer told us on condition of anonymity.
“Artists are on the street too,” he said. “They are surrounded by police; they are under attack; hotels are accepting people, giving free rooms and doctors are on the street.”
Local media report that their own staff have been injured by tear gas canisters. Others on the street have suffered broken bones and serious head injuries.
Amnesty International has condemned the violent response to nonviolent civil disobedience.
“Amnesty International calls on the authorities to carry out a prompt, independent and impartial investigation into the allegations of excessive and unnecessary use of force, and ensure that any law enforcement officials responsible for arbitrary or abusive use of force to be prosecuted,” the group said in a statement.
“Amnesty International also calls on the authorities to ensure protestors’ rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.”
On Monday, construction to build a new mega shopping complex began in Gezi Park, prompting protestors to set up an Occupy-styled tent protest.
Mashallah News reports that just 1.5 percent of Istanbul is dedicated to green space.
Meanwhile, the government has launched an ambitious campaign to “grow” the city with a slew of development projects despite widespread opposition to the further concretization of a once-vibrant city.
Turkey was largely shielded from the Arab Spring uprisings, but now the people are pushing back.
“People are fighting for nature,” a source told us. “Unbelievable.”
“We do not have a government, we have Tayyip Erdogan,” political scientist and protester Koray Caliskan told the Reuters news agency.
“They are not listening to us,” he added. “This is the beginning of a summer of discontent.”
For background, read these stories on Green Prophet to learn more about Taksim Square and what the original demonstrators are fighting against:
Controversial Renovation on Istanbul’s Taksim Square has Begun
Istanbul’s Taksim Square To Become Lifeless And Isolated In New Urban Plan, Opponents Warn
Lead image via picadambaattin, Twitter. For more great, and sometimes disturbing images, follow #occupygezi on Tumblr
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
We support you guys, win your struggle against business men who sell nature for a handful of dollars. In Jordan we have won a similar struggle against building an acadamey in Birgish Woods in the north of Jordan.
Turkish authorities are treating the people like herds of cattle — big mistake. Shoppeers need a green area to relax and think.
They have cut off our Facebook and Twitter Please keep on reporting from ground
Thanks Aviva! Luckily we have people on the ground keeping us informed.
Regular media sources won’t be reporting this, one can be sure! Thank you Green Prophet for exposing this!