Turkey protests - one month on
Friday (28.06.2013) marks one month since the protests in Istanbul's Gezi Park near Taksim Square began. They quickly spread throughout the country.
Erdogan's heavy hand
Turkey's month-long protests began with a peaceful sit-in to protect Gezi Park, one of the few green areas left in central Istanbul, from being turned into a shopping mall. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is depicted in the wall painting here, dismissed the protesters and allowed police to use tear gas, truncheons and water cannon.
Fighting talk
Erdogan called the protesters vandals, extremists with foreign terrorist connections, sinners and underdogs. This fighting talk played well with his supporters, but served only to strengthen the resolve of the demonstrators - who began setting up tents in Gezi Park - and felt his speeches smacked of arrogance.
Occupy Gezi
Within hours of Erdogan's speech and subsequent departure on a four-day visit across North Africa, President Abdullah Gul ordered the withdrawal of the police. Tens of thousands of protesters returned to Taksim and Gezi Park, enhancing a movement that sparked similar uprisings throughout the nation.
A life of its own
As clashes continued throughout the country and in neighborhoods around Taksim, Gezi itself became a self-ruling commune that embraced a cross-section of people and organizations representing a multifaceted Turkey. They began chanting anti-government slogans, discuss future actions, express opinions or simply witness the phenomenal turn of events.
Divided nation
While stressing the majority he achieved during the 2011 elections, Erdogan did not show any willingness to listen to the other half of the country that found a voice in the Gezi park occupation. The prime minister's attitude of defiance and the abusive crackdowns enforced by the police, were criticized worldwide.
The fight goes on
After more than a week of occupation, Taksim and the barricaded streets leading to the square were raided by police causing violent clashes with the crowds that eventually were forced to retreat. On June 15, a last police raid forced a stronghold of activists out of Gezi Park, leveling the citadel of tents and sealing the grounds off to the public.
Preparing for a future
The waning impact of the occupation's initial push and the will to protest non-violently gave activists and citizens a new raison d'etre: the desire to create an organized and well-defined political opposition platform. With Gezi sealed off, demonstrators began collecting in smaller groups around the city to discuss change and the future of the Gezi movement.
Standing up for your rights
A new form of protest emerged when one man began a standing eight-hour vigil on Taksim square on June 17. Inspired by the peaceful, yet powerful act, thousands of people, like the man in this picture, have continued to return to Taksim to stand, often motionless, for their rights.
Striving for change
Clashes between the authorities and citizens have continued right across the country, including in Istanbul and the capital Ankara. Many organizations plan to carry on their protest in a peaceful way, hoping the government and its supporters will listen and engage more with them, and work to bring about constructive change.
Perceptions of change
A month on from the start, the movement shows little signs of abating. The overall impression is that the country is undergoing strong challenges and is divided. Young and secular people are fighting for changes, which are frowned upon by Erdogan's supporters. They, in turn, believe the government has done well, especially economically, in its decade of leadership.