GEZI PARK, ISTANBUL – EXCESSIVE FORCE AGAINST PEACEFUL PROTESTORS

One of the big parks in Taksim, a hip urban center in Istanbul, is supposedly undergoing an uprooting process to develop the greenery into more concrete infrastructure. Protestors have gathered to halt construction in order to preserve one of the few green spaces in a crowded international city. While in Istanbul, I felt like the proximity to Ocean was the only savior of the anxiety in a city of about 14 million, with 3 million commuting daily.

This isn’t just about preserving the city’s natural landscape- people are increasingly frustrated with what they feel is an authoritative regime. Prime Minister Erdogan has been trying to implement more strict measures rooted in conservative values, like curb alcohol consumption, while Istanbul is considered secular. Though I have feelings about the modernity of a society rooted in Islamic values, catering to the tourism brought into such a vastly rich culture breeds non-conservative values (ahem, Dubai) and to re-write the course of history by restraining public space and investing in major construction projects (malls/homes) seems naive. Most of the secular population is taking notice of shaky economic and moral policies, and this protest, rising in intensity with major injuries, is likely the beginning of an intense summer. Thoughts out to the young people in Taksim holding it down.

photos from nytimes.