Some experts call the mass anti-government protests, which took place last weekend in Turkey, “Turkish” spring and compare the Taksim Square in Istanbul to Tahrir Square in Cairo. Some compare Taksim with the Russian forest near the town of Khimki. For a fact, there have been no such large-scale mass protests in Turkey for a long time. More than 530 people were injured last weekend during serious clashes between protesters and police, who employed tear gas. Turkish mass media reported that according to rough estimates, 2,320 people were arrested. According to the TV channel CNN Turk, 500 people were arrested and 414 were injured in Ankara. In Izmir in four days of protests the police arrested 571 people. In Antalya 36 people were arrested and there is no information about the injured. In Istanbul 1,149 people were arrested and 53 were injured. Mosques, shops, and university of Besiktas have been converted into temporary hospitals for victims who got injured in demonstrations on Sunday evening. There were no reports of deaths.
The riots were caused by the decision of the authorities to cut down the Gezi Park near Taksim and build a big shopping center instead as a part of reconstruction of the square. City planners, architects, environmental groups, and activists, opposed to the ruling party, make a stand against the development works, including the construction of a huge mosque and rebuilding of the Ottoman barracks. Through their efforts they won their first victory – on May 31 following the order of the Istanbul Administrative Court the project “Ottoman Baracks” was stopped. Protesters outraged with the plans of the authorities rose in revolt through the social networks and occupied the Gezi Park for three days in order to prevent the destruction of 600 trees. However, later the police pushed the demonstrators using force. After that the Erdogan’s government passed a law that prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Moreover, the prime minister said that he could call for meetings of millions of people. All this led to demonstrations in 80 Turkish cities. The protesters received the support from half of the Turkish provinces and Turks living in Europe.
On Sunday June 2 groups of protesters tried to get to the office of the ruling Party of Justice and Development. The party has its offices in every major city in Turkey. The protesters are gradually moving from the appeals to save the park to demands for the resignation of the government.
They fear that the party of the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to impose conservative Islamic values on the officially secular country and violate their personal freedom.
However, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the protesters, saying that their actions are “undermining the democratic foundations.” Erdogan has rejected the allegations made by the opposition that his government is authoritarian and pro-Islamic, saying that under the leadership of his Party of Justice and Development Turkey has achieved considerable economic success. He is convinced that the protests were organized by marginal groups supported from abroad.
European allies of Turkey from NATO and the United States urged the government to show restrain. Late Sunday night White House representative made a statement urging all parties involved in the conflict to “calm down the situation” and confirmed that peaceful demonstrations were “a part of democratic expression.” US previously criticized the security forces for their first reaction to the protests. EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton also expressed deep concern over the acts of violence in Istanbul and other cities.
