For those who don't know what's happening in Turkey

[Stephanie D.]

Update from the riots in Taksim Sq. in Istanbul from one of our readers.

Dear friends, we have been experiencing some intense times in Istanbul and Turkey.. There is a massive destruction of nature, history, human rights and animal rights. We have occupied Taksim Gezi Park which is in danger of becoming a shopping center. This park is at the heart of the city and is a home of more than 600 trees.. It symbolizes so many things to most of us here. We have been occupying the park with love, arts, music, and dance.. The police attacked the protestors who were sleeping at the park this morning (at 5 am) and burned their tents. the main media is not reflecting what is happening here at all.. i just wanted to let my friends know what we are going through.. Here is a post from my friend.. Keep us in your prayers! #occupygezi #occupylove
To all my non Turkish friends and Turkish friends living abroad: PM Tayyip Erdogan's police attacked today at 5am the protesters defending a park in the center of Istanbul and woke them in their tents with pepper spray and burnt down their tents. The attack is disproportional and unjust.

The protest itself is against the destruction of Gezi Parki the only green left in the center of Istanbul and construction of a shopping mall instead (by people who are in close relations with Tayyip Erdogan and the government). It was never only about the park. The park became a symbol for everything that the government is tearing down, the trees they cut down, the history they destroyed, the rivers they polluted, the seas they filled with cement, all in the name of economical growth, and of course the laws they have enacted to attack our private lives...The protest at the park is a protest against their corrupt government. So please spread the word by using social media; facebook, twitter, friendfeed etc...we are using the following hashtags: #ayagakalk #geziparki #occupygezi

Today a war long due has begun...It's a day of unity...I hope your hearts are beating with ours...Let our love and determination defeat their ambition for money.

[Pim]

It was on the news here in Holland today, so at least some is coming out of the normal media. Hope you win the fight, there's already enough concrete!

[Shush]

Here Here !!. even in the money captial of the world, New York they have managed isolated a large area of park, so surely Istanbul can find a way to maintain the same. If investment is there only concern, maybe they should consider the long term potential loss in tourism.

[Guy]

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2013/05/2013531112443894367.html

[Stephanie D.]

I follow what's happening in Turkey via Internet because i don't have tv and on radio here in France , i didn't hear any news about demonstrations over there. I was wondering if in other countrys tv or radio talk about that.


(sorry for my broken english :/

[sinan11]

10th day of #occupygezi battle in Turkey,  and no support from our band and brotherhood heard yet.. We needed your support and solidarity messages here -

[Stephanie D.]

NMA talked about what's happening in Turkey via the Facebook page

[Viv Savage]

As promised, here is what was posted on the NMA Facebook page:

1st June
Please share:
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-980163

3rd June
http://occupygezipics.tumblr.com/

Posted by Taylan Kenç
"Dear page owner,

 As you may or may not know, the secular people of Turkey is under attack by the government police at Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey. The Turkish media is censored and the information flow is blocked. So they are all alone in Taksim, trying to reach out the rest of the Turkey and to the World by social media. In the meantime, the government also blocked the 3G in that area. Thankfully, the residents of Taksim shared their WiFi with the protestors. So they can keep up with the information.

 Everything started with 100-200 activists organizing a peaceful sit-in protest against the demolition of Gezi Park for a mall building, which is the only green field left in the heart of Istanbul. Then on May 31th at 05:00 am in the morning, the Police attacked the protestors without a warning while they were sleeping in their tents, using tear gases, water cannons, plastic bullets and by burning their tents. Lots of people were seriously injured, and there are few reported deaths (hope this is not true).

 And then at the evening, thanks to the power of the social media, a revolution began. The people of Turkey, who got seriously tired of the islamo-fascist acts of the current government within the last 12 years, gathered in Taksim and on several other cities in Turkey. The police did not stop, and actually acted even worse. Turkish media still remains silent, the Prime-Minister Erdogan telling lies on -his own- TV channels. And we need all the support we can get.

 Please follow the news on the social media and help us by spreading our word!

 Democracy, freedom or speech, and human rights are under serious threat in Turkey!

 Thank You

Taylan Kenç
A peaceful Turkish citizen."

[sinan11]

I've just seen the Can's comment on main page about 'provocators among us' is a disgrace. That group was just saving their barricades against the police. Cities are all under attack by the police, hundreds are arrested, 4 friends died, over 5000 are injured badly, many people lost their eyes with police bullets,  so many in hospitals waiting to die under serious conditions, how much tear gas and water cannon we had i can not estimate, they even tear gassing the hospitals and arresting the doctors. And what we talk about provocatrs here on NMA page is just a big shit.

[Anna Woman von NRW]

Now I have no experience of Turkey or any connection to anything/anyone over there except for common humanity but to me this seemed a powerful means of protest:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/18/turkish-man-silent-vigil-taksim-square

Love & best wishes to all involved in what's going on