Gezi Park protests

2013 protests in Turkey
Protesters applaud a whirling Sufi wearing a gas mask.
Date	28 May 2013 (2013-05-28) – present (11 years, 3 months, 2 weeks and 5 days)
Location	Turkey: Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Bursa, Trabzon, Samsun, Edirne, Kayseri, Isparta, Burdur ,Adana, Sivas, Eskişehir, Antalya, Giresun and most major cities. ≈81 to 90 cities around Turkey Dozens of cities within the Turkish Diaspora
Goals	Protecting Gezi Park, protesting lack of consultation and police's use of excessive force, defending freedom of speech and right to assembly, resignation of Erdoğan's government
Methods	sit-ins, strike actions, demonstrations, online activism, protest marches, civil resistance, advertising
Status	Ongoing
Parties
Anti-government protesters (originally environmentalists) Others: Taksim Solidarity Movement Greens Libertarians Liberals Feminists Anti-capitalist Muslims LGBT activists Kurds Left wing Anarchists Communists Secularists Nationalists Lawyers Engineers and Architects Football supporter clubs of the four major teams Anonymous RedHack Government of Turkey Turkish police Ministry of the Interior
Lead figures
Non-centralized leadership Government leaders: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Prime Minister) Muammer Güler (Minister of Interior) Hüseyin Avni Mutlu (Governor of Istanbul Province) Kadir Topbaş (Mayor of Istanbul) Hüseyin Çapkın (Police Chief of Istanbul Province)
Number
over 1 million in person and online Cities 100,000+ (Istanbul) 40,000 (Ankara) 30,000 (Bursa) 20,000 (Eskisehir) 15,000 (Bodrum) 15,000 (Antalya) 10,000 – 30,000 (Izmir) 10,000 (Trabzon) 10,000 (Bolu) 10,000 (Izmit) 10,000 (Tunceli) 7,000 (Isparta) 7,000 (Tekirdağ) 5,000 (Antakya) 5,000 (Çorum) (Between 1–5 June) Click for more unknown number of police
Casualties
Death(s)	5 (not including 6 possibly-related police suicides)
Injuries	4,177 at least 43 in serious or critical condition
Arrested	at least 3,300

Protests have been held in Turkey since 28 May 2013, Dubbed the Turkish Spring by some media, the protestors themselves have reappropriated the term çapulcu (looter) for themselves (and coined the derivative "chapulling", given the meaning of "fighting for your rights") after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan dismissed the protestors as "a few çapulcu" on 2 June. The initial protests in Istanbul were led by about 50 environmentalists, opposing the replacement of Taksim Gezi Park with a reconstruction of the historic Taksim Military Barracks (demolished in 1940) possibly housing a shopping mall. The protests developed into riots when a group occupying the park was attacked with tear gas and water cannons by police. The subjects of the protests have since broadened beyond the development of Taksim Gezi Park into wider anti-government demonstrations. The protests have also spread to other cities in Turkey, and protests have been seen in other countries with significant Turkish communities, including the European countries, the U.S. and the far-east Asia. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave a number of speeches widely seen as inflammatory and dismissive of the protesters, and on 3 June left the country on a planned 3-day diplomatic tour of North African countries, a move that was criticized as irresponsible by opposing political leaders. On 3 June unions announced strikes for 4 and 5 June.

Protesters took to Taksim Square in Istanbul and to streets in Ankara as well as Bursa, Antalya, Eskişehir, İzmir, Edirne, Mersin, Adana, İzmit, Konya, Kayseri, Samsun, Antakya, Trabzon, Isparta, Tekirdağ, Bodrum, and Mardin. The hashtag #OccupyGezi trended in the social media. Some Turkish-American supporters of the protests took a full page advertisement in the New York Times on 7 June co-created within days by thousands of people on the Internet, and funded by 2,654 people as the "fastest crowdfunded political campaign."

The range of the protesters was noted as being broad, encompassing both right- and left-wing individuals. The protesters' complaints ranged from the original local environmental concerns to such issues as the authoritarianism of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, curbs on alcohol, a recent row about kissing in public, and the war in Syria.

According to various news outlets, the clashes are the most challenging events for Prime Minister Erdoğan's ten-year term and the most significant nationwide disquiet in decades.

On 31 May 2013, police suppressed the protesters with tear gas, arrested at least 60 people and injured hundreds. The police action received wide attention online. Protesters organized and gathered on İstiklal Avenue, reaching thousands on the night of 31 May. According to government sources, more than 1700 people have been taken into custody, with demonstrations so far taking place in at least 78 of 81 provinces. Police hid their helmet numbers to avoid investigations into their use of excessive force.

On 4 June, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç, acting on behalf of Erdoğan, who was on an overseas trip, apologized to protesters for "excessive violence" used by the police in the beginning of the riots, but said he would not apologize for the police violence that came after. On 6 June, PM Erdoğan said the redevelopment plans would go ahead despite the protests.

Background

Main articles: Secularism in Turkey, Human rights in Turkey, and Economy of Turkey

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has governed since 2002, winning the 2002, 2007 and 2011 elections by large margins. Under its rule the economy of Turkey has recovered from the 2001 financial crisis and recession, driven by a construction boom. At the same time, particularly since 2011, it has driven forward an Islamist agenda, having weakened the secularist influence of the Turkish Army. During the same period it also increased a range of restrictions on human rights, most notably freedom of speech and freedom of the press, despite improvements resulting from the accession process to the European Union.

Since 2011, the AKP has increased restrictions on freedom of speech, freedom of the press and internet use, television content, as well as the right to free assembly. It has also developed links with Turkish media groups, and used administrative and legal measures (including, in one case, a $2.5 billion tax fine) against critical media groups and critical journalists: "over the last decade the AKP has built an informal, powerful, coalition of party-affiliated businessmen and media outlets whose livelihoods depend on the political order that Erdogan is constructing. Those who resist do so at their own risk."

2011 protests against internet censorship.

The government has been seen by certain constituencies as increasingly Islamist and authoritarian, with a party official stating in April 2013 that he expected the party to lose liberal support. An education reform strengthening Islamic elements and courses in public primary and high schools was approved by the parliament in 2012, with Erdoğan saying that he wanted to foster a "pious generation." Alcohol sales and consumption in university campuses banned. In 2013, Parliament passed a Justice and Development party-sponsored bill increasing restrictions on alcohol consumption, attempted to make abortion virtually unobtainable and opposed extension of LGBT rights in Turkey during a 29 May debate. People were given jail sentences for blasphemy. The nondebated decision to name the Third Bosphorus Bridge Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, for Selim I, was criticised by Alevi groups (some 15-30% of Turkey's population), as Alevis consider the Sultan responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Alevis during the Battle of Chaldiran. However, some "democrats and liberals" also would have preferred a more politically neutral name, with Mario Levi suggesting naming the bridge for Rumi or Yunus Emre. In addition, plans to turn Turkey's Hagia Sophias in Trabzon and possibly Istanbul into mosques stirred controversy within progressive communities, a plan not even supported by prominent Muslim leaders from Trabzon.

While construction in Turkey has boomed and has been a major driver for the economy, this has involved little local consultation. For example, major construction projects in Istanbul have been "opposed by widespread coalitions of diverse interests. Yet in every case, the government has run roughshod over the projects' opponents in a dismissive manner, asserting that anyone who does not like what is taking place should remember how popular the AKP has been when elections roll around." Corruption concerns have also been raised, particularly relating to the Kanal İstanbul.

Environmental issues, especially since the 2010 decision of the government to build additional nuclear power plants and the third bridge, led to continued demonstrations in Istanbul and Ankara. The Black Sea Region has seen dozens of protests against the construction of waste-dumps, nuclear power plants, highways, factories and dams. 24 local musicians and activists in 2012 created a video entitled "Diren Karadeniz" (which prefigured the ubiquitous Gezi Park slogan "Diren Gezi").

The government's stance on the civil war in Syria is another cause of social tension in the country. In 2011, 34 civilian citizens of Turkey were bombed and killed by Turkish F-16s on Turkish soil near the Iraq border, which for some symbolized the government's attitude towards Kurdish and foreign policy matters. Erdoğan refused to apologize for the incident despite serious pressure, which resulted in the 2011–12 Kurdish protests in Turkey.

Taksim Military Barracks, built 1806, turned into Taksim Stadium in 1921, and demolished in 1940.

Gezi Park

The initial cause of the protests was the plan to remove Gezi Park, one of the few remaining green spaces in the center of the European side of Istanbul. The plan involved pedestrianising Taksim Square and rebuilding the Ottoman-era Taksim Military Barracks, which had been demolished in 1940. The ground floor of the rebuilt barracks was expected to house a shopping mall, and the upper floors luxury flats, although in response to the protests the likelihood of a shopping mall was downplayed, and the possibility of a museum raised. The main contractor for the project is the Kalyon Group, described in 2013 by the BBC as "a company which has close ties with the governing Justice and Development (AK) Party."

The Gezi Park protests began in April, having started with a petition in December 2012. The protests were renewed on 27 May, culminating in the creation of an encampment occupying the park. A raid on this encampment on 29 May prompted outrage and wider protests. Although Turkey has a history of police brutality, the attack on a peaceful sit-in by environmentalists was different enough to spur wider outrage than such previous incidents.

Timeline

28–31 May

Gezi protest in Kızılay Square, Ankara.

On the morning of 28 May, around 50 environmentalists were camping out in Gezi Park in order to prevent its demolition. The protesters, with the help of BDP MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder, initially halted attempts to bulldoze the park by refusing to leave. The Zabıta municipal police used tear gas to disperse the peaceful protesters and burned down their tents in order to allow the bulldozing to continue. Photos of the scene, such as an image of a young female protester (later nicknamed the "woman in red") holding her ground while being sprayed by a policeman, quickly spread throughout the media across the world. The Washington Post reported that the image "encapsulates Turkey’s protests and the severe police crackdown", while Reuters called the image an "iconic leitmotif."

Alerted to the happenings by social media, on 29 May the size of the protests grew, as additional protesters joined the encampment and put up more tents. Other prominent people joined Sırrı Süreyya Önder in the protest, including Republican People's Party vice president Gürsel Tekin, singer Can Bonomo, actors and actresses Gonca Vuslateri, Memet Ali Alabora, Okan Bayülgen and Şebnem Sönmez.

On 30 May, police raided the protesters' encampments. Online activists' calls for support against the police crackdown increased the number of sit-in protesters by the evening.

Tear gas shells used in Istanbul in 2013.

Police carried out another raid on the encampment in the early morning of 31 May. The police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protesters to surrounding areas and set up barricades around the park to prevent re-occupation. Throughout the day, the police continued to fire tear gas, pepper spray and water cannons at demonstrators, resulting in reports of more than 100 injuries. Sırrı Süreyya Önder was hospitalised after being hit in the shoulder by a tear gas canister. Some protesters threw rocks at the security forces. The executive order regarding the process decided earlier had been declared as 'on-hold' on 31 May 2013. According to governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, 63 people had been arrested and detained. The police use of tear gas was criticised for being "indiscriminate." The interior minister, Muammer Guler, said the claims of the use of disproportionate force would be investigated.

Protests also spread to Ankara and Izmir. In Ankara, a helicopter was used to fire tear gas at the protesters, and police were seen chasing demonstrators into shops with electric shock batons. Clashes between protesters and security forces continued all night long in Ankara. In İzmir, more than 10,000 people held a protest on 31 May, with demonstrators holding banners reading "Everywhere is Taksim, everywhere is resistance", "Resist Taksim, İzmir is with you", and "Chemical Erdoğan." Protesters in İzmir were also raided by police armed with tear gas, plastic bullets and water cannons.

1 June

Gezi protest in Ankara.

Police fires tear gas on the İstiklal Avenue

Gezi protestors in İstiklal Avenue

"About half past one the entire city [of Istanbul] started to reverberate. People were banging on pots, pans, blowing whistles," one eye-witness told BBC News. Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç criticized the use of tear gas against demonstrators and stated, "It would have been more helpful to try and persuade the people who said they didn't want a shopping mall, instead of spraying them with tear gas."

Thousands of protesters from Kadıköy (the Asian side of the city) walked across the Bosphorus Bridge around 06:00 local time, to join the main protest groups in Taksim. They were met with police intervention.

At 3:45 pm, the police force started to withdraw from Taksim Square, letting protesters in. During the withdrawal, some protesters threw water bottles at the security forces, which resulted in the police use of tear gas.

The protests in Ankara that began on 31 May continued. The protesters, gathered mainly on Güven Park in the Kızılay neighbourhood, were also interrupted by the police officers. The roads to the Kızılay square where protesters tried to gather were closed by the security forces. The security around the Başbakanlık Konutu and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey were also increased with the aid of the Turkish Gendarmerie. The security forces left the Kızılay square later and then nearly 10,000 people gathered there.

In Antalya, more than 10,000 people held a protest on 31 May, in Cumhuriyet square. Nearly 1,000 people tried to walk to the Çallı district where the AKP Antalya Headquarters are situated. Police met the protestors with tear gas and water cannons.

The president Abdullah Gul, also a member of the AKP, cut short a formal visit to Turkmenistan to return home and by midday stated that the protests had reached a "worrisome level."

Some have reported rumors of the police using a novel riot control chemical which some are calling "Agent Orange" against the protesters in Beşiktaş, but these are left as rumors as journalists (CNN, etc.) and experts told people that the police used a colored substance, mostly colored teargas and a colored gas to identify where the person got hit is. Though bearing the same nickname as herbicides and defoliants used by the US Military during the Vietnam War, the chemical used is believed to be a riot control chemical such as CR gas or the Skunk anti-riot chemical.

Helicopters have fired tear gas canisters into residential neighbourhoods and police have used tear gas to try to smoke people out of buildings. Footage on YouTube showed one protester being hit by an armoured police truck as it charged a barricade.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan gave a televised speech condemning the protesters and vowing that "where they gather 20, I will get up and gather 200,000 people. Where they gather 100,000, I will bring together one million from my party."

It was also announced that Erdogan would leave for an overseas official visit to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and hence leave the country between the 3rd and 6th of June during deepening domestic turmoil causing unprecedented resentment and outcry regarding prime ministerial travel expenses and purposes.

2 June

This sign, displayed in a solidarity protest in Chicago, reads: Dear citizen [sic] [recte citizens] of the world! Right now Police is [sic] violently attacking citizens that are protesting the government in Istanbul.

Protesters regained the park from police after days of violent clashes

Videos showing the extent of police brutality started to surface on various websites. One video showed a young Moroccan-Turkish woman being pulled onto a stretcher, who reportedly died from being shot in the head with a gas canister (although it transpired that she was in a coma). Other footage also showed police firing gas grenades directly at demonstrators. It was reported that Turkey's President Abdullah Gül contacted other senior leaders urging "moderation." After the call, Interior Minister Muammer Güler ordered police to withdraw from Taksim, allowing protesters to re-occupy the square. Protesters "shun violence." Demonstrators returning to the square organized to clean the square, which has become littered with debris.

In the afternoon Tayyip Erdoğan stated "I will not seek permission from hoodlums to implement my plans for Taksim." He further raised the possibility of building a museum instead of a shopping mall in the place of the Atatürk Cultural Center and Opera house, which currently stands to be demolished in Taksim Square. This mosque was probably part of the big project for redesigning Taksim but details were unknown before.

In Izmir, the day started with people, who started to clean the main streets and squares, which were polluted by the protests during 1 June. People cleaned the city almost for 5 hours but as the crowd got bigger and the police has been positioned around, cleaning stopped. Soon the crowd and protests got bigger. Police used random violence to disperse the crowds, even hitting teen girls on the boulevard. Izmir's Bornova and Alsancak neighborhoods saw fierce battles between protesters and riot police throughout the afternoon, with dozens of arrests made and damage to stores in the center of town by the police's use of water cannons. The Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, Aziz Kocaoğlu (CHP), got out in his civil outfit and walked with people to support the nature and democracy act.

In Ankara tens of thousands of protesters took control over Kızılay Square after battles with police, and then started to barricade it off. A civilian car, allegedly driven by a traffic police officer, drove straight through the crowds in Kızılay, killing at least one protester.

In Istanbul police blocked the Bosphorus bridge to prevent protestors crossing to the European side as they had on previous days. While the tension at Taksim square remained low, fights broke out between police and protesters in other neighborhoods of the city, such as Beşiktaş. Protesters repeatedly tried to get near to the office of the prime minister. Thousands of protesters went to media buildings in Istanbul, such as those of HaberTurk, that was airing an interview with the prime minister at that moment.

Particular anger was also provoked by the sighting of several civilians armed with bats and sticks following police on their way to curb protests, apparently with police support. Several videos showed armed civilians aiding police in brutally cracking down on protesters. Some civilians in videos and photos have been linked to positions in Ak Gençlik Kolları, the youth wing of the AKP. The use of AKP members in cracking down fueled further fury against the police and resulted in a bulldozer being hijacked in Beşiktaş, Istanbul and being driven towards police positions. Although initially resulting in police retreat, the bulldozer was finally set alight in the early hours of midnight.

Other cities where violent confrontations occurred between protesters and police were Adana and Antakya, not far from the Syrian border.

Reports emerged that the once powerful army faction that remained loyal to the secular establishment that the AKP largely watered down in its influence were distributing gas masks as assistance to protesters.

3 June

Protesters marching through Siraselviler Cd towards Taksim Square on 3 June 2013.

During the night riot police fired tear gas directly into the homes of civilians. Throughout Istanbul, and in different neighborhoods of Ankara, Izmir and Antalya, clashes occurred throughout the night. Protesters in Izmir set fire to the AKP's headquarters in the city. CNN Türk, the Turkish CNN channel, joined Ulusal Kanal and Halk TV in broadcasting live footage from the protests. Police beat up an unarmed protester in Dolmabahce. The Dolmabahçe Mosque welcomed protestors in and became a makeshift hospital; local restaurants and hotels also sheltered protestors. In Beşiktaş tourists and demonstrators were treated in mosques for severe injuries due to lack of ambulances. Police reportedly committed random acts of violence against protesters. The Shangri-La Hotel was used as a makeshift hospital as well. Riot police teargassed Bahçeşehir University and tried to enter the building with hundreds of students inside.

AKP sympathisers were allegedly seen attacking men and woman on the streets of Izmir. In some cities AKP voters accompanied police.

Civilians assist an injured man.

Metin Feyzioglu, the President of the Turkish Bar Association (TBB), reported that in Ankara's Kızılay, police had targeted an infirmary and used gas grenades against the doctors and patients inside.

Objects set on fire near Taksim Square on June 3, 2013.

In the early hours of the day, several truck drivers escorted the protesters in order to shield them from police water cannons and tear gas in Beşiktaş. Protests got bigger in the afternoon as several unions called a general strike in response to "state terrorism." Several working protesters also joined the crowd after finishing work. Several protests were scheduled in the night in order to attract a larger turnout. Tens of thousands took to the streets in the afternoon in Izmir and Ankara.

In Ankara the offices of the newspaper Sol were ransacked by police, using tear gas and water cannon and manhandling three members of staff.

In Ankara police fired flash-bangs and gas grenades in an effort to chase protesters away from the central areas of the city. Police brought armored vehicles into the streets with tear gas canister-launchers.

Throughout the evening demonstrations were held in various neighborhoods of Istanbul. Violent clashes occurred mostly in Beşiktaş and around Taksim square. The Technical University's cafeteria in Beşiktaş was turned into a makeshift infirmary.

In the evening, the TV game show Kelime Oyunu ("Word Game"), on Bloomberg HT TV, hosted by Ali İhsan Varol, silently broke the media censorship and supported the protests by placing questions and answers (eg "gazmaskesi", gas masks) that refer to the protests.

Former Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey and a close friend of Erdoğan, Abdüllatif Şener, said on a live phone connection with Halk TV that he knows Erdogan very well and that if Erdogan builds a shopping mall, demolishing the Gezi Park, it would be full of malpractice that makes him only richer. With these words he declared his support for the protesters. He also stated that "running away is a typical behaviour for Recep Tayyip Erdogan", upon hearing the news that Erdogan would be going on a 3-day journey abroad. Shortly after he made his speech, "Abdüllatif Şener" became a trending topic on Twitter.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan left Turkey on a planned three-day tour of North African countries from 3 to 6 June.

The Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK), the Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK), and the Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) announced a general strike in protest of "state terror."

A Facebook event named Black Monday (Kara Pazartesi) began on 3 June. More than 100,000 people wore black on 3rd June 2013 as a sign of protest against the government. The event later surprisingly disappeared from facebook.

Anonymous and RedHack began a cyber-campaign against the Turkish government, taking down several government websites including the presidential website

Stock market prices fell sharply during the early hours of the morning. The fall of the BIST 100 index was the sharpest since August 2011. Finance circles named the fall Black Monday.

4 June

A protester wearing a Guy Fawkes mask.

A woman waves a flag of Atatürk at Gezi Park.

Kurdish protestors waving posters of Öcalan in the Square.

Clashes continued in Istanbul overnight, but police did not try to cross the Gezi Park barricades. In Dolmabahçe police fired teargas grenades at a wounded protester who was lying on the ground. And throughout the day, and increasing in the evening, different neighborhoods of Istanbul had seen large protests and violent encounters. In Beylikdüzü thousands of protesters blocked off main roads and marched on the local AKP headquarters. Police threw gas canisters at the protesters.

By evening there were again tens of thousands in Taksim Square; Al Jazeera reported that "there are many families with their children enjoying the demonstration that has developed the feeling of a festival." There were also signs of a developing infrastructure reminding some observers of Occupy Wall Street, with "a fully operational kitchen and first-aid clinic... carved out of an abandoned concession stand in the back of the park," complete with rotas and fundraising for people's travel expenses. A makeshift "protestor library" was also created, and Şebnem Ferah gave a concert. Erdogan also criticised the reporting of Al Jazeera of the protests as being "unfair."

Local news reported that the CHP-controlled Antalya municipality was refusing to use its fire trucks to refill police water cannons, but that this was over-ruled by the government-appointed Governor of Antalya Province.

In the early morning thousands of schoolchildren in Ankara skipped school in order to march in protest of the government. Police cars followed them around, calling on the children to stop their 'illegal' demonstration and go back to school. Demonstrations grew during the afternoon, and early in the evening tens of thousands of protesters marched through Batıkent neighborhood. Thousands of demonstrators stayed near Kızılay well into the night, faced by riot police squads with multiple armored vehicles firing teargas, and water-cannon trucks.

Across the country in dozens of cities sit-in demonstrations were held in parks, squares, such as in Eskisehir, Rize, Trabzon and Tunceli (Dersim). In other cities there were protests starting early in the evening. In Tunceli, there is unconfirmed report of a young Kurdish person being shot in the head and killed.

Thousands took to the streets in Samsun late in the afternoon, marching towards the AKP building. Police threw up barricades and the protesters turned the march into a sit-in, blocking traffic through several streets. Demonstrations in Samsun went on into the night, opposite to the local AKP office.

In Antakya, demonstrations continued triggered by the death of Abdullah Cömert the previous day. Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets, carrying his coffin. Anger spilled over when police used teargas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Barricades were set up and violent confrontations occurred after the police tried to move in on the protesters. The Turkish army was deployed in the streets of Antakya One protester got hit in the eye from a gas canister launched at short range and had to be hospitalized. Protests also got violent in Tunceli (Dersim), with police deploying multiple armored vehicles in chases with demonstrators after they allegedly attacked a AKP office. A hospital in the city was reportedly teargassed, and there are reports of dozens of injuries. A local Human Rights observer was quoted as saying 'this place is now like Gaza'. Around 1 a.m. the riot police pulled out from the city.

Clashes between protesters and riot police also occurred in Adana. Police in armored vehicles fired teargass into the crowds at Kasım Gülek Bridge.

Anonymous hacked close to 150 Turkish websites including some of the Turkish government and those of pro-AKP media.

In Izmir, 16 people were arrested for "encouraging people to revolt" via social media. One of those arrested was a teenage girl. According to her mother, she was being held behind bars without sunlight.

Iranian nationals (likely refugees) participating in the demonstrations were arrested across the country. According to pro-government media they were possibly spies working for the Iranian government.

5 June

It was reported that the "cyber crimes" police in Izmir conducted raids at 38 locations, arresting 24 people who are "accused of using Twitter to urge people to come to the protests." Anonymous hacked the email server of the prime ministerial website and released all usernames of the network, but without the passwords. At the same moment the Syrian Electronic Army managed to hack into the network of the Turkish minister of the Interior, and published email-accounts and password information. Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk wrote an article about the protesters to be published at Süddeutsche Zeitung and The Guardian calling Prime Minister Erdogan oppressive and authoritarian.

Protesters occupy buildings near Taksim Square on June 5, 2013.

From late in the morning several unions went on strike, among them municipal workers, teachers and lawyers. Marches and protests were being organized in Ankara, Istanbul, Bafra, Kocaeli, Antalya, Giresun, Hopa and Siirt among others. The number of protesters on Taksim square in evening was the highest of any since the demonstrations started, as Prime minister Erdogan is set to return to the country the next day.

Protestors prepare to fight back against tear gas attacks in this picture from June 5, 2013.

Around 10,000 strikers gathered in Kızılay square during the afternoon. Later in the afternoon, the protests turned violent after police tried to break up the demonstration with teargas grenades and water-cannons. Reportedly some persons were wounded in the clashes. Throughout the evening protests were held in different neighborhoods of Ankara, mostly in the form of peaceful marches, sometimes clashing with riot police using water-cannons and teargas. In Ankara an Ulusal Kanal cameraman, Serkan Bayraktar, and an Ulusal Kanal representative, Mustafa Kaya, were arrested. In Rize (where Erdogan's familly originates from) AKP voters attacked protesters, injuring several people. After dozens of AKP attackers violently stamped on the body of one of the female students the police stepped in and let the demonstrators escape to a nearby shop, while the violent crowd remained in front of the shop, shouting slogans. When an ambulance arrived to take the woman away, the demonstrators left the building upon which the AKP supporters again attacked them. According to the AKP mayor of Rize the attackers were an 'unknown group'.

In wake of the escalating nationwide unrest, one diplomat close to the administration anonymously stated to the press that “The main concern for the moment is that the prime minister should hold his silence” and “Whatever he says seems to stir feelings” in reference to the intended absence from the country.

In Antakya in the evening thousands held a candle-lit march and had a ceremony in the central square with musical performances in commemoration of Abdullah Cömert.

6 June

Panorama of Taksim Square protests from June 7, 2013.

Thousand of protesters remained in Taksim into the night. Because it was an Islamic holy night, protesters did not expect confrontations with the police. For the first night in the demonstrations, no conflicts occurred downhill towards Beşiktaş. All but one of those arrested the previous night for sending out certain twitter messages were released.

Barricades remain at the site.

Erdoğan dismissed the protests as undemocratic and manipulated by extremists, and that the protestors included "extremists, some of them implicated in terrorism." He said the redevelopment plans would go ahead. Shortly after the comments were broadcast, the Turkish stock markets fell 5%.

As Erdoğan returned in the evening from his foreign tour, the AKP ran a SMS campaign and organized buses to gather thousands of supporters at Ataturk Airport, assisted by the AKP-run Istanbul Municipality extending the Istanbul Metro opening hours until 4am. The crowds chanted "We will die for you, Erdogan", "Let's go crush them all" and "Let us go, let's crush Taksim."

7 June

A few banners regarding support to the solution process and asking for a just verdict for the Uludere massacre hanging at Gezi Park during the protests.

The AKP party director for the Iğdır Province, Mehmet Soyuk, resigned in protest. A group calling themselves "Anti-capitalist Muslims" prayed in Gezi Park in honor of Abdullah Cömert and the police captain Mustafa Sari

8 June

Police in Ankara clash with protesters on the night of June 7–8, 2013

Protests continue on Taksim square with support of major İstanbul football clubs' supporters. They collaborated to put flares on the top of the Atatürk Cultural Center.

The AKP decided to hold two "unity and solidarity" rallies, in Ankara on 15 June and Istanbul on 16 June. Erdoğan said "We don't do what a few looters did. They set things on fire and destroy. That's the definition of looter (çapulcu)."

An article published in The Economist reported that "Sources close to the AK Party speak of a sense of siege within the party leadership, with influential if disparate forces loath to break ranks publicly but worried about the extent of Erdogan's power and his uncompromising stance."

A private AKP executive meeting that took over 4 hours was held and numerous scenarios including calling a snap election, delaying Erdogan's presidential bid by changing AKP by-laws that prevent Erdogan from running for a fourth term as prime minister and potential further social media censorship are understood to have been discussed. Following the meeting he publicly reaffirmed that he would not step down and refused to call a snap election as a bid in breaking the deadlock, in turn uncompromisingly issuing a challenge to his political opponents to outpoll his party in the March 2014 municipal elections.

9 June

Erdogan said in a speech in Adana that "even patience has a limit" and rallied pro-government supporters. AKP sympathisers were seen to be throwing stones at anti-government protesters.

According the police union Emniyet-Sen head Faruk Sezer, so far at least 6 policemen have committed suicide in Istanbul due to extraordinarily harsh working standards as a condition of their employment. He was quoted as saying “The violence you see at the end is the reflection of the violence suffered by the policemen. They are not just subjected to violence by protesters, but by 120-hour consecutive working periods, stale bread and food. The police are already subjected to violence within the establishment." Whilst the police department accepted the suicides had happened, it denied any link with the protests despite the fact that all had occurred within the past two weeks.

10 June

The leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu, accused Erdogan of deliberately escalating tensions and dragging Turkey "into the fire."

Rating's agency Moody's warned Turkey that ongoing protests would result in significant credit risks.

Actor Memet Ali Alabora stated that he was being threatened due to his support for the demonstrations at Gezi Park, after Yeni Şafak had claimed he was part of a plot to overthrow the government, citing his directing the play Mi Minör, which centres on the government of the fictional country Pinima "forbidding the musical note Mi."

Deputy Prime Minister Arinc stated that Erdogan had agreed to meet protest organisers on Wednesday 13 June. He also warned the government would no longer tolerate "illegal acts," and implied that the occupation of Taksim and its accompanying Gezi Park would be over by the weekend.

The President, Abdullah Gul, formally approved of the controversial bill that restricted sales of alcohol between 10pm and 6am despite it largely being seen as one of the final straws in the outrage of protesters regarding unprecedented government intervention in their lifestyle and 'creeping Islamisation'.

11 June

Around 04:00, barricades built by protesters in Taksim Square were broken by the police and many policemen again entered to expel civilians by continuing to fire tear gas.

Protesters

Protesters on the Istiklal Caddesi shopping boulevard.

Demonstrators protesting on June 3, 2013.

A banner in Kurdish in Gezi Park during protests: "Justice for Hrant (Ji Bo Hrant, Ji Bo Dade ê)"

The initial Istanbul protests were led by about 50 environmentalists. This widened dramatically in response to the heavy-handed eviction by police of the environmentalist sit-in at Gezi Park.

The range of the protesters was noted as being broad, encompassing both right and left-wing individuals. The Atlantic described the participants as "the young and the old, the secular and the religious, the soccer hooligans and the blind, anarchists, communists, nationalists, Kurds, gays, feminists, and students." Der Spiegel said that protests were "drawing more than students and intellectuals. Families with children, women in headscarves, men in suits, hipsters in sneakers, pharmacists, tea-house proprietors -- all are taking to the streets to register their displeasure." It added that there was a notable absence of political party leadership: "There have been no party flags, no party slogans and no prominent party functionaries to be seen. Kemalists and communists have demonstrated side-by-side with liberals and secularists." Opposition parties told members not to participate, leaving those who joined in doing so as private individuals.

The Guardian observed that "Flags of the environmentalist movement, rainbow banners, flags of Atatürk, of Che Guevara, of different trade unions, all adorn the [Gezi] park." Kurdish Flag and Abdullah Öcalan posters and were also seen. Hürriyet noted that even the football supporter clubs of the four major teams, normally greatly antagonistic towards each other, had agreed to join the protests together; a Turkish sports reporter suggested that the supporters clubs' experience in battling police played a significant role. A photo report from RT showed graffiti in Taksim Square in support of internationalism. The Economist noted that there were as many women as men, and said that "Scenes of tattooed youths helping women in headscarves stricken by tear gas have bust tired stereotypes about secularism versus Islam."

Renowned Turkish critic and screenwriter Oktay Ege Kozak said "These protests are not just about a group of trees anymore. These protests are about millions of Turkish people doing whatever they can to protect our country’s legacy of personal freedom and secularism. After ten years of their rights being taken away bit by bit, the country’s young and old banding together to remind a deluded, self-imposed king that he does not rule over the land. That the land does not belong to him, it belongs to all of us ... the explosion was inevitable."

According to Prime minister Erdogan's June 4 speech from Morocco, the demonstrators are mostly looters, political losers and extremist fringe groups. He then went on to say they went hand-in-hand with 'terrorists' and 'extremists'. He indicated that these protests were possibly somehow organized by the Republican Peoples Party (even though the CHP had initially supported construction on the Gezi-park). Turkey analysts however suggested the demonstrations arose from bottom-up processes, lacking leadership.

A Bilgi University survey asked protestors about events that influenced them to join in the protests. Most cited were the prime minister's "authoritarian attitude" (92%), the police’s "disproportionate use of force" (91%), the "violation of democratic rights" (91%), and the "silence of the media" (84%). Half the protestors were under 30, and 70% had no political affiliation. A study of Turkish posters to Twitter using Gezi-related hashtags found that only a small minority had previously tweeted on political issues.

Gezi Park camp

Gazkonmaz Sokak

With the police abandoning attempts to clear the Gezi Park encampment, the area began to take on some of the characteristics associated with the Occupy movement. The number of tents swelled, to the point where a hand-drawn map was set up at the entrance. Access roads to the park and to Taksim Square have been blocked by protestors against the police with barricades of paving stones and corrugated iron.

By evening on 4 June there were again tens of thousands in Taksim Square; Al Jazeera reported that "there are many families with their children enjoying the demonstration that has developed the feeling of a festival." There were also signs of a developing infrastructure reminding some observers of Occupy Wall Street, with "a fully operational kitchen and first-aid clinic... carved out of an abandoned concession stand in the back of the park," complete with rotas and fundraising for people's travel expenses. Protestors brought food to donate, and dozens of volunteers organised themselves into four shifts.

Veterinarian Clinic at Taksim Gezi Park, 7th June

A makeshift "protestor library" was also created (soon reaching 5000 books), and Şebnem Ferah gave a concert. A "makeshift outdoor movie screen" was set up, together with a stage with microphones and speakers, and a generator. A symbolic "street" was named for Hrant Dink, the journalist murdered in 2007; the street connects the Peace Square with the children's playground. Sellers of watermelons mingle with sellers of swimming goggles and surgical masks (to protect against tear gas); a yoga teacher provides classes. The crowds swell in the evening as office workers join.

Graffiti showing the words "At least 3 beer", which parodies the government's child and alcohol policy.

With 5 June being the Lailat al Miraj religious holiday, protestors distributed "kandil simidi" (a pastry specific to the holiday), and temporarily declared the park a no-alcohol zone. Celebration of the holiday included a Quran reading. Protestors had previously mocked Erdogan's recommendation to have at least 3 children and policy of restricting alcohol with the slogan "at least 3 beers."

Symbols

Guy Fawkes masks, dust masks and goggles on sale in Gezi Park, 4 June

One photograph taken by Reuters photographer Osman Orsal of a woman in a red dress being pepper-sprayed became one of the iconic images of the protests: "In her red cotton summer dress, necklace and white bag slung over her shoulder she might have been floating across the lawn at a garden party; but before her crouches a masked policeman firing teargas spray that sends her long hair billowing upwards." Orsal himself was later injured by a tear gas capsule.

Guy Fawkes masks have also been widely used, and were used for example by striking Turkish Airlines cabin crew performing a parody of airline safety announcements referring to the protests.

The protestors have also made significant use of humour, both in graffiti and online, in what the BBC called "an explosion of expression... in the form of satire, irony and outright mockery of the popular leader on Istanbul's streets and social media." It gave as an example a parody of the Turkish auction site sahibinden.com as "tayyibinden.com", listing Gezi Park for sale. Examples of slogans include "Enough! I’m calling the police", as well as pop culture references: "Tayyip - Winter is Coming" (a reference to Game of Thrones) and "You’re messing with the generation that beats cops in GTA." (a reference to Grand Theft Auto).

Penguins were also adopted as a symbol, referring to CNN Turk's showing a penguin documentary while CNN International provided live coverage of the protests; examples include "We are all penguins" T-shirts.

In response to Prime minster Erdogan's description of the protesters as looters (çapulcu), demonstrators took up the name as a symbol of pride, describing their peaceful and humorous civil disobedience actions as Chapulling. A Ustream-based live stream from Gezi Park was launched under the name Çapul TV‏.

Demands

The ad published in the New York Times.

On 4 June a solidarity group associated with the Occupy Gezi movement, Taksim Dayanışması ("Taksim Solidarity"), issued five demands:

• the preservation of Gezi Park;
• an end to police violence, the right to freedom of assembly and the prosecution of those responsible for the violence against demonstrators;
• an end to the sale of "public spaces, beaches, waters, forests, streams, parks and urban symbols to private companies, large holdings and investors";
• the right of people to express their "needs and complaints without experiencing fear, arrest or torture."
• for the media "whose professional duty is to protect the public good and relay correct information ... to act in an ethical and professional way." Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç met the group on 5 June.

On 4 June a crowd-funded and designed New York Times advertisement reached its $54,000 funding target on Indiegogo. The ad featured demands for "an end to police brutality"; "a free and unbiased media"; and "an open dialogue, not the dictate of an autocrat." A draft sparked debate amongst Gezi protesters for its reference to Atatürk, since Atatürk is not a shared value of the protesters. Final advertisement through the editing of thousands struck an inclusive language and was published on 7 June. Despite its financing by 2,654 online funders most of whom donated less than $10 (and a single $2,000), Erdogan and his ministers blamed domestic and foreign "Bond Interest" groups and the New York Times for the ad. Full Page Ad for Turkish Democracy in Action: OccupyGezi for the World

An Avaaz petition similarly asked for an end to violence against protesters, the preservation of Gezi Park, and of "the remaining green areas in Istanbul."

Oktay Ege Kozak, a renowned Turkish film critic and screenwriter said "These protests are not just about a group of trees anymore. These protests are about millions of Turkish people doing whatever they can to protect our country’s legacy of personal freedom and secularism. After ten years of their rights being taken away bit by bit, the country’s young and old banding together to remind a deluded, self-imposed king that he does not rule over the land. That the land does not belong to him, it belongs to all of us ... the explosion was inevitable."

Locations of protests

Turkey

According to the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey around 640,000 people had participated in the demonstrations as of 5 June. The biggest protests have been in Istanbul, with reports of more than 100,000 protesters. Inside of the city, protests have been concentrated in the central neighborhoods of Beyoğlu (around Taksim square and İstiklal Avenue), Beşiktaş (from Dolmabahce to Ortaköy) and Üsküdar (From Maltepe to Kadıköy, Beylerbeyi to Çengelköy). Also in Zeytinburnu, traditionally seen as a conservative working-class neighborhood to the west of the old city, tens of thousands marched in protest. Among the suburbs that saw demonstrations were Beylikdüzü and Küçükçekmece on the far-western side of the city, Pendik and Kartal at the far east and Ümraniye, Beykoz and Esenler to the North.

A small district in Istanbul called "Gazi" (not to be confused with Gezi Park) is currently (10.6.13) one of the major points of outgoing protests.

The biggest protests outside Istanbul have been in Ankara; Other cities inside of Turkey with protests include (Between 1–5 June):

• 40,000 (Ankara)
• 30,000 (Bursa)
• 30,000 (Çorlu)
• 20,000 – 30,000 (Izmir)
• 20,000 (Antakya)
• 20,000 (Eskisehir)
• 20,000 (Gaziantep)
• 20,000 (Denizli)
• 18,000 (Adana)
• 15,000 (Bodrum)
• 15,000 (Antalya)
• 15,000 (Çorum)
• 10,000 (Trabzon)
• 10,000 (Kayseri)
• 10,000 (Bolu)
• 10,000 (Izmit)
• 10,000 (Tunceli)
• 10,000 (Kocaeli)
• 10,000 (Tuzla)
• 8,000 (Milas)
• 7,000 (Isparta)
• 7,000 (Tekirdağ)
• 7,000 (Edirne)
• 7,000 (Alanya)
• 5,000 (Mersin)
• 5,000 (Afyonkarahisar)
• 5,000 (Sivas)
• 5,000 (Aydın)
• 2,500 (Samsun)
• 2,000 (İskenderun)
• 2,000 (Fethiye)
• 600 (Erzincan)
• 500 (Çanakkale)
• 500 (Bartın)
• 500 (Şanlıurfa)
• 500 (Erzurum)
• 500 (Kars)
• 150 (Iğdır)
• 100 (Adıyaman, Gölbaşı)
• ? (Mardin)
• "small number" (Sinop)
• 700 (Balıkesir)

Map of major protest locations

Istanbul

Ankara

Bursa

İzmir

Çeşme

Eskişehir

Bodrum

Sinop

Gerze

Milas

Malatya

Artvin

Hopa

Borçka

Zonguldak

Bergama

Balıkesir

Kütahya

Kuşadası

Antalya

Trabzon

Rize

Fındıklı

Giresun

Adana

Kayseri

Bolu

İzmit

Tunceli

Isparta

Tekirdağ

Gaziantep

Manisa

Muğla

Antakya

Samandağ

Tarsus

Niğde

Çorum

Mersin

Kayseri

Sivas

Şanlıurfa

Samsun

Gölbaşı

Erzurum

Erzincan

Kars

Iğdır

Denizli

Aydın

İskenderun

Fethiye

Çanakkale

Bartın

Alanya

Çorlu

Salihli

Edirne

International

In Chicago, this protester is holding a sign that says No Tayyip, No Cry.

Supporting protests in cities of the Turkish diaspora and solidarity movements:

• In Szeged, Hungary around 70 students demonstrated against Erdoğan's government and supported the Turkish protestors.
• On 1 June, people rallied in San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego, New York City and Washington D.C. in support of the protesters.
• In Bulgaria, dozens of Turkish students protested in the capital Sofia on 1 June 2013. They were joined by Bulgarian students.
• In Amsterdam, Netherlands over a thousand Turks and sympathizers demonstrated on the Beursplein for two consecutive days. Also, 200 Turks protested in Eindhoven on 2 June 2013. Other protests were held in Rotterdam and Arnhem among other cities.
• In Baku, Azerbaijan, a group of 50–60 Turks protested on 1 June for forty minutes until dispersed by the police.
• In Brussels, Belgium, over a hundred Turks protested on 1 June 2013, expressing their solidarity.
• In Bucharest, Romania, a demonstration also took place on 2 June.
• In Geneva, Zurich, Bern and Basel hundreds of Turks who live in Switzerland protested on 1–3 June 2013, expressing their solidarity.
• In Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Köln, Bielefeld, Mannheim and Stuttgart, Germany solidarity protests took place on 1 June 2013.
• In Vienna, Austria on 31 June people gathered Stefansplatz to protest the government. Nearly 200 people were there. Later on, More than 4000 people have gathered at Karlsplatz and then Stadtpark to show support for the protests in Istanbul on 1 June 2013.Also on 3 June, nearly 600 people gathered in Schwarzenbergplatz and they marched to the Turkish Embassy in Vienna. On 4th Of June, once again people were gathered to walk to the Turkish Consulate. The protests are still continuing, on Friday the 7th there will be the 4th Protest in Vienna, also on Sunday the 9th, people will gather once again in Stephansplatz to create a FlashMob.
• In Los Angeles, USA on 4 June people gathered in front of the CNN headquarters to support the protestors. Nearly 50 people gathered and left an informing flyer to CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour.

Protesters in New York City's Union Square Park

• In Paris, France hundreds gathered to show support and demonstrated on Esplanade du Trocadéro on the 1st and 2 June.
• In Tel Aviv, Israel, an Amnesty International worker organized a protest of several dozen human rights activists, including some Turkish Israelis, outside the Turkish embassy on 2 June 2013, to show solidarity with the protestors.
• Turks and Turkish Cypriots in Northern Cyprus showed solidarity with the protesters, and held their own demonstration in Kuğulu Park, North Nicosia.
• In London, United Kingdom, over a thousand people demonstrated in Hyde Park on 1 June. A growing number of attendants keep protesting the ongoing police violence on a daily basis as of 3 June 2013.
• In New York, United States, over a thousand people demonstrated in Zucotti Park on 1 June. The protests continued on 2 June in Zucotti Park. The protests continued on June 3, with hundreds of supporters taking a stand in front of the Turkish Consulate located on 50th Street and 3rd Ave.
• In Boston, United States, about 500 people demonstrated at the Massachusetts State House on 1 June. The protests continued on 5 June in front of the Turkish Consulate of Boston.
• In Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, the Turkish-American Society showed support by gathering at the Latta Park near the uptown area. A bigger, more organized event is scheduled to take place on June 8, 2013 at the heart of the city, on Trade & Tryon Streets.
• In Denmark, dozens of people gathered in Copenhagen near city hall on 1 June for demonstration.
• In Ottawa, Canada, over a hundred people demonstrated on Parliament Hill on June 2, asking for international support for an immediate end to police violence.
• In Montreal's Mont-Royal Park and Toronto's Queens Park, in Canada, more than two hundred people demonstrated. In Montreal, the demonstrators decided to do a sit-in every Sunday at the same hour at Parc Mont-Royal, until Turkish PM resigns.
• In Vancouver, Canada, a group of Turkish people demonstrated on the Georgia Street side of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
• In Poznan, Poland, a small group of Turkish students protested on 3 June to support the resistance in Gezi Park.
• In Dublin, Ireland, dozens of Turks protested on 1 June to support the resistance in Gezi Park.
• In Prague, Czech Republic, nearly 30-35 people protested Turkish government.
• In Athens (3 June) and Thessaloniki (2 June) around 1000 Greek leftists marched in solidarity along with Turkish and Kurdish immigrants and expatriates.
• In Tokyo, Japan, over fifty Turks living in Japan demonstrated on June 2.
• In China, protests have been held in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
• In Jakarta, Indonesia, nearly 25 Turks showed their opposition to the Turkish government.
• In Floriana, Malta, 25-30 Turkish students showed solidarity with Gezi Parkı rioters.
• In Bangkok, Thailand, nearly 50 Turks protested police violence against rioters.
• In Tbilisi, Georgia, nearly 50 citizens showed solidarity with Gezi Parkı rioters.
• On 1 June, people rallied in San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego, New York City and Washington D.C. in support of the protesters. A demonstration also took place in Bucharest the following day.
• In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a dozen of Turks protested on 1 June to support the resistance in Gezi Park.
• In Seattle, United States, more than 200 Turks held a peaceful demonstration at Westlake Park on 31 May 2013 to show their solidarity with the movement in Turkey, as well as to raise local awareness about the issue.
• In Ann Arbor, United States, a group of more than 100 Turks and internationals gathered in front of the post office on East Liberty Street, on June 1, 2013, to protest police violence in solidarity with Gezi Park and to raise awareness in the city.
• In Oxford, A solidarity protest by Turkish students at Oxford University was heldon June 2, 2013.
• In Belgrade, small-scale protests were organised in the vicinity of the Turkish Embassy on 4 June
• In Vilnius, Lithuania, people gathered in the Cathedral Square to provide a message of solidarity to the protesters in Turkey on 2 June.
• In Aleppo, Syria, on June 7, 2013, the people of al-Azizyeh neighborhood took to the streets to express condemnation of the policies of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan against the Syrian and Turkish people.
• In Santiago, Chile, the Chilean Communist Party (Proletarian Action) held a protest in front of the Turkish Embassy on June 8, 2013, supporting the protests against Erdogan's regime
• In Washington D.C., on June 8, 2013, a group of more than 250 people held a peaceful demonstration in front of the White House to show their solidarity with Gezi Park and raise awareness about the issue.
• In Providence, Rhode Island, United States,on the afternoon of June 9, 2013 more than 50 Turks in ages ranging from young school children to the elderly held a peaceful demonstration in front of the Rhode Island State House to show their solidarity with the Gezi Park movement in Turkey. They held up banners supporting human rights and displayed photos of the demonstrations in Turkey to raise awareness about the issues. There was local TV and newspaper coverage of the day's event.
• In Oslo, Norway, about 50 Turks gathered outside the building of VG on 4 June to thank the newspaper for broadcasting the protests in Turkey live; the group voiced support for the Turkish protesters.
• In Toronto, Canada, there have been 3 different peaceful demonstrations, taking place on May 31, 2013, June 2,2013 and June 9, 2013. Over 500 Turks participated in these demonstrations.

Counter-protests

Although in most cities there were no counter-protests during the first week, some cities have seen minor disagreements and scuffles between nationalists and left-wing groups. When a small group of people wanted to read a statement in front of Ataturk's statue in Trabzon's central Meydan/Ataturk square another small group of far-right nationalists chased them off, the police separated the groups to prevent violence. Nonetheless, during day and night time there have been marches and other kinds of protests in the city, but mostly without political banners. Also in Antakya police had to intervene between different groups. A small group of 25 to 30 started an anti-government protest in Rize, but then another huge crowd was formed and was responding negatively to their slogans. The huge crowd started to attack the small group. With the assistance of police who intervened against the huge crowd, the small group took refuge inside a building as the larger crowd blocked a central avenue and started to chant slogans against the protesters in support of the government.

Casualties

Injuries

Police using water cannons tear gas to disperse protestors.

A volunteer assists in medical help at Taksim Square.

The Turkish Medical Association reported on 4 June that 4177 people were reported as wounded in all over Turkey, 43 of these are heavily wounded and 3 are in critical condition. These people, including "a large number of citizens who lost their eyes", were injured as a result of water cannons and close-range shots from tear gas canisters and plastic bullets aimed directly at them. Amnesty International said water cannons had been targeted at peaceful protesters, while "the inappropriate use of tear gas by police has been the most devastating on the safety of demonstrators, causing an unknown number of injuries, including serious head injuries when the canisters hit protestors."

• Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a member of Parliament, was hospitalised after being hit in the shoulder by a tear gas canister (31 May).
• Ahmet Şık, an investigative journalist, known for his vocal opposition to government and prolonged imprisonment, was hit in the head by a tear gas canister; "Onlookers said the canister was deliberately thrown at Şık from a distance of about 10 metres."
• Sezgin Tanrikulu, a noted human rights attorney, and also a member of Parliament from Republican People`s Party (CHP), the main opposition party in the Turkish Parliament, was hospitalized after suffering a mild heart attack caused by exposure to tear gas on 31 May.
• Nasuh Mahruki, professional mountain climber, writer, photographer and film producer; first ever Turkish person to climb the Seven Summits; was hospitalized with a broken leg on 1 June.
• Human Rights Watch reported a student losing an eye after being hit by a plastic bullet.
• Student Lavna Allani was in critical condition in hospital with head injuries.
• Student Ali İsmail Korkmaz was also in critical condition in Eskişehir Hospital with head injuries. He has a brain hemorrhage now.
• Reuters photojournalist Osman Orsal, the photographer who captured the iconic "Woman in Red" images, was wounded when he was struck in the head by a tear gas canister.
• 21-year-old university student Başak Özçelik was hospitalized after being severely attacked by police and some civilians armed with batons and rods.
• Reporters without Borders said on 5 June that at least 14 journalists (including Orsal and Şık) had been injured.

Deaths

• Mehmet Ayvalitas, was the first known death related to the demonstrations, the 20-year-old a Socialist Solidarity Platform (SODAP) member was hit and killed when a taxi drove into a group of demonstrators on an Istanbul highway during an anti-government protest. Huseyin Demirdizen, the board member of the Turkish Medical Association (Türk Tabipler Birliği; TTB) confirmed his death and said four other people were also injured, one of them seriously.
• Abdullah Cömert, 22-year-old youth branch member of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in Antakya, received a head injury in Hatay and later died in hospital. Initial reports described a wound from gunfire, but an autopsy ascribed his death to an injury from an exploding tear gas cannister.
• Ethem Sarısülük, a 26 year old human rights activist who worked at OSTIM, died on June 2, was reported dead the day after he was injured in the head in Ankara
• Mustafa Sarı, a Police commissioner died on 5 June, falling off a bridge while pursuing protesters in the southern province of Adana.
• İrfan Tuna, died in Ankara on 6 June from a heart attack that resulted from overexposure to tear gas.

Government response

On 29 May, after the initial protests, Erdoğan gave a speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge reiterating his commitment to the redevelopment plan, saying "Whatever you do, we've made our decision and we will implement it." On 31 May Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbaş stated that the environmental campaign had been manipulated by "political agendas."

On 1 June Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan gave a televised speech condemning the protesters and vowing that "where they gather 20, I will get up and gather 200,000 people. Where they gather 100,000, I will bring together one million from my party." On 2 June he described the protesters as "çapulcular"(meaning "looters" and "bums").

On 1 June Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç criticized the use of tear gas against demonstrators and stated, "It would have been more helpful to try and persuade the people who said they didn't want a shopping mall, instead of spraying them with tear gas." On 4 June an official tweet summarising new comments by Arınç said "We have been monitoring the non-violent demonstrations with respect." Arınç later apologised for use of "excessive force."

On 2 June it was reported that Turkey's President Abdullah Gül contacted other senior leaders urging "moderation." After the call, Interior Minister Muammer Güler ordered police to withdraw from Taksim, allowing protesters to re-occupy the square. On 3 June Gül defended the right to protest, saying that "Democracy does not mean elections alone."

On 4 June Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan "said the government respects the right to non-violent protest and free speech, but that it must also protect its citizens against violence."

On 8 June "We are definitely not thinking of building a shopping mall there, no hotel or residence either. It can be... a city museum or an exhibition center," Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbas told reporters.

Impact

Politics

According to Koray Çalışkan, a political scientist at Istanbul's Boğaziçi University, the protests are "a turning point for the AKP. Erdoğan is a very confident and a very authoritarian politician, and he doesn't listen to anyone anymore. But he needs to understand that Turkey is no kingdom, and that he cannot rule Istanbul from Ankara all by himself." Çalışkan also suggested that the prospects for Erdoğan's plan to enact a new constitution based on a presidential system, with Erdoğan becoming the first President under this system, might have been damaged.

Significant voices against the government also came from conservative and Islamist sides. İhsan Eliaçık claimed Erdoğan to be a dictator. Fatma Bostan Ünsal, one of the co-founders of Justice and Development Party, delivered her support to protests. Mustafa Akyol, a liberal Islamist journalist, described the events as the cumulative reaction of the people to Erdoğan.

Faruk Birtek, a sociology professor at Boğaziçi university, criticized the actions of Turkish police against protesters and likened them to the SS of Nazi Germany.

Daron Acemoglu, a professor of economics at M.I.T., wrote an article on the New York Times about the protests as "if the ballot box doesn’t offer the right choices, democracy advances by direct action."

Popular culture

A banner in Gezi Park proclaims: "Joy is laughter of the resistance" ("Neşe direnişin kahkahasıdır")

Main article: Chapulling

Liberal music band Kardeş Türküler composed and sang a song called Sound of Pots and Pans^[A] referring to banging pots and pans in balconies in protest of Erdoğan.

The music group Duman composed and sang a song called Eyvallah referring Erdoğan's words over admitting use of excessive force.^[B]

The Taiwanese Next Media Animation satirized Erdoğan over Gezi Protests with a humorous CGI-animated coverage.^[C]

Bogazici University Jazz Choir composed and played a song satirizing the word of Chapulling.^[D]

Misconceptions

File:Myths and Facts on OccupyGezi.PNG

The ad published in the New York Times.

There have been some misconceptions about the protests:

• After some protestors were injured or killed, it was speculated that the police were using live ammunition. It is reported that while police have used projectiles like less-lethal plastic bullets and gas canisters on protestors, they have not used live metal bullets.
• It was reported that the Istanbul police chief had been fired.
• There was speculation that the orange-colored anti-riot chemical used by the Turkish government (nicknamed "Agent Orange") was the US Military's defoliate Agent Orange. In fact the two substances are different chemicals.
• It was reported that King Mohammad VI refused to meet Prime Minister Erdogan during Erdogan's visit to Morocco on June 3. In fact, the King was in France for treatment since May 10.

Tourism

In 2011, Turkey attracted more than 31.5 million foreign tourists, ranking as the 6th most popular tourist destination in the world. Tourism has been described as "one of the most vital sources of income for Turkey", raising concerns that "unrest would have a dire effect on Istanbul [...] and the larger tourism economy." On June 4, Hotel and Tourism investors from Istanbul reported that "more than 40 percent of hotel reservations" had been cancelled.

Mark Almond, a visiting professor in International Relations at Bilkent University in Ankara, revealed to Russia Today: "This is a city that has huge numbers of foreign tourists – many of them have been affected, many of them sought medical help. It's a public relations disaster with huge economic implications."

• On 1 June 2013, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued an advisory warning it's on citizens to avoid all but essential travel to Turkey. Similar advisories have been issued by Canada and New Zealand.
• A spokesperson for the US State Department was reported to have noted that "the crackdown of the police forces armed with tear gas and water cannons happened in one of the most touristic places where many of the biggest hotels are located, indirectly warning that a travel advisory for U.S. citizens could be issued." On 1 June 2013, the US Embassy in Turkey did indeed issue such a warning that "U.S. citizens traveling or residing in Turkey should be alert to the potential for violence."
• The German Foreign Office issued a warning urging its citizen to avoid affected areas.

Many world renowned and award winning filmmakers were in Istanbul for the 2013 Documentarist Film Festival, which had been postponed indefinitely due to the violent reaction of the Turkish authorities to peaceful protests there. The first two days of the festival, June 1 and 2, did not occur due to the social upheaval and one of the main sites, Akbank Sanat, was unable to show films for an extended period of time due to its proximity to the protests. Petra Costa, the Brazilian director of the documentary film Elena, and Egyptian director of photography Muhammed Hamdy began filming the protests and reporting from the field.

2020 Summer Olympics

Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbaş gave an interview expressing concern that the police's actions would jeopardize Istanbul's bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics, saying "As Istanbul's mayor going through such an event, the fact that the whole world watched saddens me. How will we explain it? With what claims will we host the 2020 Olympic Games?"

Economy

On 3 June, Istanbul's stock exchange experienced a loss of 10.5% in a single day—the drop was "the biggest one-day loss in a decade." The fall of BIST 100 index was the sharpest since August 2011, and the yield on two-year lira bonds rose 71 basis points to 6.78 percent, the biggest jump since 2005.

On 6 June, PM Erdoğan said the redevelopment plans would go ahead despite the protests. Shortly after the comments were broadcast, the Turkish stock markets fell 5%.

Turkish media

See also: Media of Turkey

File:Ntv Van Media for sales.png

This NTV broadcast van has been covered with protest graffiti, in response to the indifference of mainstream media to protests.

Foreign media noted that the protests had attracted relatively little mainstream media coverage in Turkey, due to either government pressure on media groups' business interests, or simply ideological sympathy by media outlets. The BBC noted that while some outlets are aligned with the AKP or are personally close to Erdogan, "most mainstream media outlets - such as TV news channels HaberTurk and NTV, and the major centrist daily Milliyet - are loathe to irritate the government because their owners' business interests at times rely on government support. All of these have tended to steer clear of covering the demonstrations." Few channels provided live coverage – one that did was Halk TV. Haberturk channel musical protest was showed different reactions.

"[On the afternoon of Friday, May 31, 2013] CNN Turk was broadcasting a food show, featuring the “flavors of Niğde.” Other major Turkish news channels were showing a dance contest and a roundtable on study-abroad programs. It was a classic case of the revolution not being televised. The whole country seemed to be experiencing a cognitive disconnect, with Twitter saying one thing, the government saying another, and the television off on another planet."

At 1am on 2 June CNN Turk was broadcasting a documentary on penguins while CNN International was showing live coverage of the protests in Turkey. "Many of the protesters complained about the lack of coverage on Turkish television. Some newspapers too were largely silent on the protests: on Saturday morning [2 June], the lead article in Sabah, a major pro-government newspaper, was about Erdogan's campaign against smoking." Sabah's front page on 2 June did not feature the protests at all, but found space to cover "President Abdullah Gul being presented with a horse during his official visit to Turkmenistan."

On 3 June the TV game show Kelime Oyunu ("Word Game"), on Bloomberg HT TV, hosted by Ali İhsan Varol supported the protests by placing questions and answers (eg "gazmaskesi", gas masks) that refer to the protests. A previous attempt to smuggle protest support into other television shows included Kenan Doğulu taking off his top on a Turkish TV show ("Elidor Miss Turkey", Star TV, 31 May) to reveal an "Occupy Gezi" T-shirt.

NTV workers expressing their support for the demonstrators.

On 3 June, thousands of white collar people working in the financial district of Maslak and Levent were gathered in front of Doğuş Media Center to protest coverage by Doğuş Holding's NTV, one of the major news channels. NTV was forced to broadcast events live, while protesters chanted "satılmış medya istemiyoruz" ("We do not want media that is for sale."), "Tayyip istifa" ("Resign Tayyip"), "Her yer Taksim, her yer direniş" ("Taksim everywhere, resistance everywhere"). Some NTV staff resigned in protest at the lack of coverage. The CEO of Doğuş Media Group, Cem Aydın, conceded that the criticisms were "fair to a large extent", and that "Our audience feels like they were betrayed."

On June 5 Turkish public broadcasting service TRT aired footage of people burning the Turkish flag. The footage was originally aired in 2010 but featured doctored dates, implying the current demonstrations were somehow secessionist in nature.

On June 5 The New York Time report: While most of Turkey’s journalists were carefully avoiding mention of the tens of thousands of protesters who poured into the streets this week, in a show of deference to the government that enraged supporters of the demonstrations, the host of one Turkish game show found a way to raise the issue not once but 70 times during a broadcast on Monday night.

Social media

An iPhone showing the Wikipedia article for Chapulling, a word reappropriated by protestors.

As a result of the lack of mainstream media coverage, social media played a key role in keeping people informed, with Twitter hashtags #OccupyGezi and #DirenGeziParki ("Resist Gezi Park") being adopted. In the 12 hours from 4 pm 31 May, there were more than 2 million tweets for the 3 leading hashtags, with 88% in Turkish and 90% of geolocated tweets coming from Turkey. Erdogan said in a speech that "There is now a menace which is called Twitter. The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society." A December 2012 Pew Research Center study showed 35% of Turks using social networking sites.

Sixteen people were arrested in Izmir for their messages on Twitter.

There were reports that the 3G signal in some areas had been turned off; in response, some shops and offices removed security from their Wifi networks. Rumours of censorship led to increasing use of virtual private networks (VPNs) during the protests by Turkish mobile internet users.

International reaction

Supranational

• The European Commission condemned "all excessive and disproportionate use of force."

State

• The Foreign Office condemned the 'indiscriminate' use of tear gas, adding "We encourage the Turkish authorities to respect the right to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly, which are fundamental human rights in any democratic society."
• State Department spokesperson Jennifer Psaki expressed concern: "We believe that Turkey's long-term stability, security and prosperity is best guaranteed by upholding the fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly and association, which is what it seems these individuals were doing."
• Dutch foreign minister Frans Timmermans said on June 3 he regretted the excessive police force used against protesters, and voiced support for some of concerns of the demonstraters concerning freedom of speech and media.
• Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Abbas Araghchi said that the protests are an internal matter for Turkey to resolve but expressed hope that "the issue would be resolved in a peaceful manner with the prudence of Turkish leaders."
• Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoubi criticized Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan's way of dealing with the mass protests in Turkey.
• The Malaysian government announced on 10 June that if the violence continued for much longer all Malay citizens may be forcefully withdrawn from Turkey, with at least 93 students known to be studying in Istanbul currently.

Prominent individuals, political parties, and groups

• Linguist Noam Chomsky condemned the Gezi Park crackdown, stating it "recalls the most shameful moments of Turkish history."
• Slovene philosopher Slavoj Žižek delivered his support to the protesters through Bülent Somay who is a member of the Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party.
• Entertainer Madonna posted her support to the protesters on her Instagram account and British actress Tilda Swinton, American musician Moby, American actor Josh Duhamel, Australian model Miranda Kerr, comedian actor Russel Brand also expressed their support. Ukrainian feminist group FEMEN released a video calling on Turkish women to stand up for their rights via protests.
• Writer Neil Gaiman wished the protesters luck and safety in his blog.
• Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters posted his solidarity with the protesters on a Facebook page called Roger Waters The Wall.
• Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke posted news supporting the protesters on his Facebook page
• Massive Attack posted an ad that is to appear on The New York Times, crowd-funded by concerned individuals throughout the world.
• Actor & musician Jared Leto (30 Seconds to Mars) also supported the Turkish youth from his twitter account.
• Twitter founder Jack Dorsey supported Turkey by the RTs in his twitter account. (Such as the RT from Carl Quintanilla from CNBC: "Revolution will not be televised, it will be tweeted."
• The International Trade Union Confederation called for members to support the online campaign on LabourStart demanding that the police violence end, protestors be released, and so on. 6,000 union members supported the campaign in its first 24 hours online.
• Gianluca Bollini and Fabio Bollini who are San Marino national football team players supported Turkey from their twitter accounts.
• American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist Patti Smith showed her support by an interview
• New York & Berlin-based publisher Contra Mundum Press expressed their support through posting a text written by the Editors' Platform in Turkey in English, French, Italian, and the original Turkish.

Notes

• A ^ Song can be seen here on Youtube: Sound of Pots and Pans
• B ^ Song can be seen here on Youtube: Eyvallah
• C ^ Animation can be seen here on Youtube: Turkey's Tayyip Erdoğan gets brutal on protests in Istanbul's Gezi Park and Taksim Square
• D ^ Song can be seen here on Youtube: Bogazici University Jazz Choir in Gezi Park

See also

• Istanbul riots (1955)
• Taksim Square massacre (1977)
• Republic Protests (2007)
• Environmental issues in Turkey
• Chapulling

External links

• Gezi Park News Updates and Archive, Good Morning Turkey
• Livestream hot points camera, Haber medya
• Related pictures and videos from all over Turkey
• ShowDiscontent: A photo archive of the events with explanations and references
• Timeline in multiple languages from socialist blog Sendika
• Blog collecting police abuse
• photo tour of Taksim/Gezi Park camp, BBC
• Tears in Taksim Square, A Poem, Global Poetry