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6 Hours ago: People marching from Kadikoy to Taksim.....the idea is to
get 1 million people into Taksim tonight...
Citizens are marching from Kadiköy to Taksim. Crowd is getting bigger in each step! |
LIVE FROM ISTANBUL: Today, following Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's extremely sectarian, separatist, and fictious speech in
Ankara, around 9 PM, the Turkish police began to attack thousands of people who
were at the Gezi Park and Taksim square, having dinner. There were kids under
4-5 years old, mothers, and old people among those who were under gas and
pressurised water attack.
According to reports, police doesn't allow journalists to report or to take pictures from Gezi Park. They are also attacking with pressurised water business such as famous Divan Hotel that opened its doors to protestors running away from brutality. People are saying there are thousands of wounded inside the hotel. People formed a human chain in front of the hotel to prevent police to attack. Another report says that people cannot leave the hotel because police is arresting whoever leaves. There are also unconfirmed reports that police shut down the metro and boats between Asia and Europe to stop people coming and joining the rest.
Another report says that there is a jammer in the area to prevent TV stations' broadcast. There are hundreds of wounded. There are a lot of missing kids, or kids who are separated from their families. Protestors are fighting with police in Sıraselviler, Cihangir, Harbiye, and most likely around Dolmabahçe and Maçka. People call it a total brutality, a real savagery that is going on tonight. What we are seeing an ugly war where only one side have weapons. THIS IS STATE TERROR !!!!!!!
According to reports, police doesn't allow journalists to report or to take pictures from Gezi Park. They are also attacking with pressurised water business such as famous Divan Hotel that opened its doors to protestors running away from brutality. People are saying there are thousands of wounded inside the hotel. People formed a human chain in front of the hotel to prevent police to attack. Another report says that people cannot leave the hotel because police is arresting whoever leaves. There are also unconfirmed reports that police shut down the metro and boats between Asia and Europe to stop people coming and joining the rest.
Another report says that there is a jammer in the area to prevent TV stations' broadcast. There are hundreds of wounded. There are a lot of missing kids, or kids who are separated from their families. Protestors are fighting with police in Sıraselviler, Cihangir, Harbiye, and most likely around Dolmabahçe and Maçka. People call it a total brutality, a real savagery that is going on tonight. What we are seeing an ugly war where only one side have weapons. THIS IS STATE TERROR !!!!!!!
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Yesterday's meeting between Prime Minister
Erdoğan and representatives of the Taksim Solidarity Platform have led to what appear to be some concessions by the government. The government formerly appealed against a court-ruling that decided against the destruction of the park. If the appeal gives a green light to the demolition of the park and the reconstruction of the Ottoman Artillery Barracks, the government declared that in that case they will hold a referendum and let the people decide. If the appeal fails, the government has committed itself to respecting that decision and will not touch the park. Government spokesman Hüseyin Çelik said that the park will remain untouched until the court's decision. Reactions to the government's concession are hesitantly positive. |
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This was the first tear gas
canister launched my way tonight - Tim
Eastman and I almost couldn't make it to Gezi Park after the police attack began
because almost every street was blocked off by police officers. We finally
found a way in, and as we were walking along the street near the park, police
officers inside the park began yelling at us. We were with one other
photographer, but none of us spoke Turkish, so we didn't know that they were
saying. All of a sudden, the cops shot tear gas at us, even though we were the
only three people in the area.
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Tear gas victim being treated at
the Divan Hotel, where many injured
protestors were being treated.
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Earlier tonight on Siraselviler
street right near Taksim Square - A protestor lying on the ground, disabled
from tear gas inhalation (I actually thought he was dying at one point because
he wasn't moving and it looked like he stopped breathing). Cops had called for
an ambulance, but it couldn't get to him because there was too much tear gas.
After I took this photo, I ran over to him to help him get out of the tear gas, even though I was having problems
breathing from all of the gas. I decided it was worth the risk to get him out
of there.
Here is a photo of him after he was out of danger and had recovered a bit: https://www.facebook.com/ |
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