Gezi Parkı Protests in Istanbul
The construction of Topcu Kislasi in Gezi Park that was started as part of the pedestrianization project for Taksim drew many activists to start protests against the project because hundreds of trees would be cut. Heavy work vehicles came on 28 May 2013 to plant out the trees, and it had a great place on the social media. Shortly, a groupd of activists started a sitting protest in Gezi Park so as to stop the deconstruction. After the police responded to the protest disproportionately, the Sırrı Süreyya Önder intervened, and the deconstruction was stopped for a while. There was no permission for the deconstruction, which caused a greater reaction. In the evening the activists came with their tents and sleeping bags and waited until morning in Gezi Park. The police raided the park around 5 am on 29 May and 30 May, and responded harshly to the protesters on duty in the tents. Because of these responses, thousands of people organized on the social media and flew towards Taksim. Reactions increased in many cities besides Istanbul. On 1 June towards the morning people marched from the Asian side to Taksim over the Bosporus Bridge. The police in Besiktas responded to that marching, and the reactions got even greater, so the police had to pull back towards the noon same day.
After the police pulled back from the Taksim Square and Gezi Park, a living area hard to imagine and encounter was formed in the park. Infirmary, garden, library, Revolution Market and anything that were needed were there available.
