Erdogan Empties Taksim Square And Gezi Park
Well, yesterday, Erdogan, after initially promising to leave the park alone, emptied the park with only seconds of warning.
The police emptied Gezi Park in Istanbul with tear gas, water cannons with water that leaves people with skin burns, extremely strong gas and all manner of cruelty by the police including rubber bullets and clubbing. Just because people want to peacefully exercise their right of free speech and free assembly. In a democratic country, this is an attack on democracy everywhere.
The police attacked makeshift infirmaries in hotel lobbies with tear gas and clubs…where children and elders especially…had taken refuge. There was no escape. Erdogan is a megalomaniac on every level and must be stopped. When one protestor asked a policeman why he was doing this, the policeman said: “You pay me like the government does and I will fight for you too.”
10 people have lost an eye, at least 4 people are dead, one in Ankara shot dead with a real bullet by a policeman, and scores are hospitalized with serious injuries…not just in Istanbul but in other cities.
Today, with tax money from all Turks, he is shipping AKP party people into Istanbul in a show of support. He intends to follow with “dog and pony shows” in other cities. My friends in Turkey are saying they will also show up again today. I am worried for them now.
I hope the people take heart in the fact that Erdegon has shown the world he is not a Statesman. He is using secularism in a thinly disguised move toward absolute authoritarianism. Ataturk would turn over in his grave.
A comment to an article in the Waahington Post today: “To form a meaningful opposition, the various political parties need to form a united front with a limited set of common objectives. Until now, every one of them has insisted on their own ideological purity in positions. It’s a classic example of ‘divide and rule’. Maybe, just maybe, these events might be the trigger to form a common opposition party.”
Tags: Istanbul, Turkey
Zoe
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