#direngeziparki

I got to Istanbul on the 20th of June... 20 days after the protests started in Gezi Park and, as a result, all around the country. Istanbul is extremely big, and from where I was (the Goztepe area on the Asian side of Turkey) it seemed like things couldn't be better in Turkey - which actually made me feel pretty crappy. With everything that is happening - why did everything feel so normal? It wasn't until 9pm until I realized something was stirring. I heard what I have been watching videos of on Facebook from the dinner table - people stood on their balconies hitting pots, pans, and anything else that would make noise in support of the protests. While it was a simple act, it meant people had not forgotten yet. As prescribed, it continued for 5 minutes and then it was over. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfo-CWHjQqY Two days later, sitting at a food joint, I felt it again - to see what was happening in Taksim, the waiter had to change the channel to halktv, the only channel that broadcast the protests starting day one. The local media did not televise ANYTHING for the first few days at all. (CNN Turk showed a documentary on penguins - they have now become a symbol of the struggle). And - in fact - that is one of the main reasons so many people went to protest so early on (aside from the police brutality of course).

The Gezi Park protests is the first topic of almost every dinner conversation I have had thus far here - I've been part of anything from talking making fun of what's been going on to extremely heated debates. There is a spectrum of support for the protests - and people with all sorts of beliefs and ideas about the protests, but the majority is clear: the young generation of Turkey - along with many others - wants their voice to be heard. The protests have lasted over a month now, but every day, something new arises for people to protest about. The front men of this movement are extremely well educated young people - college students and young professionals. People of all different backgrounds, political parties, religious beliefs, occupations, genders, and ages - all coming together for a common cause. Many of my friends who took part in the protests say it is the first time they have seen people come together in Turkey. The amount of support and help people have been giving each other out in the protests is something all of my friends have mentioned and are extremely proud of. One friend told me about how he got caught in a tear gas storm and was helped by a little kid with some extra supplies; another told me how an old woman was passing out food to the protesters who were camping out there saying this was the only way she could contribute. I am extremely proud of my country - and my fellow Turks for coming together at a time like this.

Of course, not everything is smiles and dandelions - some people have, of course, taken the opportunity to do some really crappy things, whether it's stealing from protesters or carrying signs of an opposing political party while attacking police... but the overwhelmingly large majority of people are the innocent ones. The ones that the PM has called looters, terrorist, and marginals!

To this day, things are still messy in Turkey. The crazy Prime Minister is still acting extremely aggressively, as are the police. Other than the extreme force used by police, the most recent thing that made my blood boil was a statement by the President of Religious Affairs (under the Prime Ministry) declaring they would not tolerate mosques being used as head quarters for protests. On the extremely violent third or fourth night of the protests, the Imam of the Dolmabahce Mosque opened the mosque's doors to injured protesters, allowing doctors to make a make-shift treatment center there with very little in their hands. The doctors and medical school students came with inhalers, formulas to stop tear gas burns, medical dressings, and a few other things. Instead, the PM removed the Imam from his position and made allegations that people were having "group sex" (whatever that means) and drinking in the mosque. Of course this group sex thing has become the butt of all jokes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeUFWDR5Blc - here is a video with images from the mosque that night - even the name of the video says that night with all that alcohol +18 as an insult to the PM's words.

Another extremely annoying thing - doctors, lawyers, and most recently public leaders in other political parties and heads of scientific organizations have been arrested - and random people are getting arrested for carrying goggles with them to protect themselves against tear gas. With protection, you are seen as a "threat" since you are ready to defend yourself... or some b.s. reason like that. A friend was in Taksim yesterday for a meeting and saw a woman get arrested because she said she was tired of the police......

Doctors and lawyers alike being arrested.

The protests have also turned somewhat artsy - musicians, dancers, and everyone else have been using the protests as a platform to perform and share their art with one another. Huge arts festivals have been organized through out the protests.

here's a whirling dirvish - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ihMkhIjXQ
and they brought a piano - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHz3E1uyPSM
the philharmonic showed up - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwj-seRPe30
groups came together and wrote songs - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxA7cIv5mcY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aPf-N-eJSQ
and then they started to tango - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frfNnhA9Kl4
and so much more.... here's one of the most famous pictures of a whirling dervish.

This Saturday I couldn't get home. Here's a small map:

Point A is Gezi Park. Point B is Istiklal Avenue. Point C is my apartment. All within about 1.5-2km of each other. So when people are trying to run away from police, my neighborhood is a pretty good route to do just that. I was trying to get home with some friends... and we turned the corner while in the car and was met head on with a huge crowd of people, a toma (water canon vehicle), large groups of police with shields and helmets, and tear gas. We felt the gas from the car and immediately turned around in the parking lot of a hospital, in which all doctors in the parking lot had to wear masks to not be effected by the gas. It is a small residential area - and I couldn't help think of the old people and little kids I see running around the street every time I walk to my apartment from the metro. I can take care of myself to a point - but the kids and elderly - and they were throwing tear gas in between these tiny streets with apartments. Had I been home, I probably would have felt the effects of the gas from inside my own apartment. Extremely annoying I say. Stuff was happening around my area last night as well, but no tear gas - so not too concerning. I literally have started carrying an extra set of clothes, my computer, a toothbrush, and some extra cash with me everywhere I go just in case. My friends are going to get tired of my bumming at their houses some day. :) Here's a facebook video of people trying to enjoy their evening in a cafe in my neighborhood - the police showed up and the women in the video are saying this is our neighborhood, please leave. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151798532808140

Today is the first day of Ramadan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan. Hundreds and hundreds of people lined the streets of Istiklal Avenue to break the fast together. I watched part of it on TV and people from all walks of life were there - quite an amazing sight.

And of course the police couldn't handle it - and brought along a TOMA...

If you want to know more about what happened thus far and why... I urge you to start here: http://www.capturingoccupygezi.com/. This is my friend, Engin's photo/journal blog. He arrived in Turkey the day before the protests started and took to the streets to capture what was happening . All sorts of videos can be found on youtube as well. Just type in Gezi Park (e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0Uwh971f6w). Of course, just like any media - not everything can be trusted, so always keep that in mind - but videos and pictures don't lie - at least most of the time.

Here is a great photographic journal as well - a tumblr composed of pictures from the events from day one.
http://occupygezipics.tumblr.com/. And there's always Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_protests_in_Turkey :)

Despite all of the bad that is happening here - there are some amazing things that have come out of it so far. In a country where groups of different political parties, religious beliefs, and backgrounds would have never been found in the same place, people have come together as one - working together, helping each other, and fighting for a common cause. This was deemed impossible - so there is most definitely hope for the future. And don't forget, this isn't happening only in Istanbul, it is happening all around Turkey - in every major city around the country. Quite astounding.

This is just my take on what's going on. It's a bit long winded with lots of spelling and grammar mistakes, but hope it brings some awareness to what is going on here! No matter what - Istanbul is still one of a kind and a love of mine. :) Check out some of the most famous/coolest pics from the protests thus far if everything else I've posted wasn't enough already :)