Tag Archives: Okmeydani

The Guardian: Man shot dead at funeral as police and protesters clash in Istanbul

Berkin Elvan funeral

Local residents in Okmeydani – a predominantly Alevi neighbourhood – spoke of a recent increase in clashes between the police and protesters. “There is teargas almost every night,” one resident said. “We have given up on using gardens and balconies, but often we cannot even find peace inside our homes.” A man died after being shot and critically injured while attending a [...] → Read the full article…

The New Yorker: Grief and Outrage in Turkey – Jenna Krajeski

berkin-elvan-funeral-580

Erdoğan’s strategy since Gezi has been to polarize the electorate, disowning those who speak against him and trumpeting his role as a fighter for those who support the party. But his indifference to Elvan’s fate exhibited cruelty rather than strength. On Tuesday, a fifteen-year-old Turkish Alevi named Berkin Elvan died, sparking the country’s largest anti-government protests since last summer, when [...] → Read the full article…