Tag Archives: Gezi Park

Reuters: Turkish court blocks disputed park project

Two protesters lie on the ground of Taksim Square as they stage a silent protest in Istanbul

            By Ayla Jean Yackley Wed Jul 3, 2013 1:10pm EDT (Reuters) – A Turkish court has canceled an Istanbul building project backed by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan which provided the trigger for nationwide anti-government demonstrations last month, a copy of the court decision showed. Authorities may well appeal against cancellation of plans for a [...] → Read the full article…

Counterpunch: Turkey: a Second 1848 … or 1905? – Cihan Tugal

With revolt now spreading to a bedrock of capitalist stability, there is every indication that the global wave of 2011 is still alive. Turkey, marketed to the whole world as a neoliberal success story (and to the Muslim world as a model democracy), is now up in arms against authoritarianism and free market capitalism (or rather, its urban ramifications). With [...] → Read the full article…

The Guardian: Erdoğan’s reaction to Turkey protests reveals ominous Putin parallels – Luke Harding

Leader is used to having things his own way but, civil society movement can no longer be suppressed, says Luke Harding The assault was as brutal as it was predictable. On Friday and Saturday Erdoğan had hosted a European Union meeting in Istanbul. Rumour had it that Turkey‘s prime minister would send in riot police to clear the demonstrators from Taksim Square [...] → Read the full article…

Hürriyet Daily News: Many injured as police enter Taksim Square to ‘clear banners’

Riot police have taken partial control of Taksim Square after entering the site around 7.30 a.m. and surrounded the Atatürk Statue following use of tear gas and pressurized water on the protesters. As of 11:30, a human chain had been formed to prevent the police from intervening, but was immediately dispersed by the officers. Crowds at the park do not come down [...] → Read the full article…

BBC News: Turkey’s Erdogan to meet protesters

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to meet the organisers of ongoing protests against his government on Wednesday, says his deputy. Bulent Arinc said Mr Erdogan would “listen to their thoughts”, but added that illegal protests would not be allowed. The prime minister has taken a tough line with the protesters. The anti-government unrest was sparked by a police [...] → Read the full article…

Hürriyet Daily News: Six Turkish policemen commit suicide during Gezi protests, union head says

Six Turkish policemen have committed suicide since the Gezi Park protests started, according the police union Emniyet-Sen head Faruk Sezer. Police forces have been targeted by heavy criticism over their excessive use of force and practices of brutality amid clashes, but Sezer claimed the forces too have been suffering extensively by being forced to work under severe conditions. Policemen who [...] → Read the full article…

The Huffington Post: The Erdogan condemns protests as ‘handful of looters’ in Adana – Suzan Fraser and Elena Becatoros

In a series of increasingly belligerent speeches to cheering supporters Sunday, Turkey’s prime minister demanded an end to the 10-day anti-government protests that have spread across the country, saying those who do not respect the government will pay. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his patience was running out with the protesters, who have occupied Istanbul’s main Taksim Square for more than [...] → Read the full article…

Gezi Park Resistance message from Roger Waters

“To all my friends in Turkey I am with you! We are with you! You are so right to resist the forces of autocracy and repression. It doesn’t matter who they are. If I read the Internet right, in your case, you are resisting autocratic religious zealots. Turkey is your country and we support you and yearn for your freedom, [...] → Read the full article…

Time: Live from ‘Occupied’ Gezi Park: In Istanbul, a new Turkish protest movement is born- Pelin Turgut

Last Friday, Ali Riza Gurs, manager of a local food business, saw the number of sit-in demonstrators at an Istanbul park swell, and spotted a problem: They were hungry and thirsty and would not leave Gezi Park, which is located in the heart of Istanbul and one of the city’s few remaining green spaces, because of bulldozers waiting to raze [...] → Read the full article…