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About #OccupyGezi
Istanbul is one of Europe's prime tourist destinations. In 2013, protests erupted over the urban development plan for Gezi park, situated on top of Taksim Hill. As the government cracked down on the group that camped in the park to save it from destruction, more and more people joined them. After a month, the protest was not just about the park — it was about alcohol laws, homosexuality laws, the war in neighbouring Syria, authoritarianism, abortion laws, and a range of other topics. The protestors set fire to vehicles and created roadblocks around the normally busy intersection. These actions were violently met with water cannons and tear gas canisters. The teargas was at times shot level, hitting and killing protestors. During the last days of the protest, the demonstrators held night long parties with live piano music, and volunteer squads cleaned up the encampment. Finally, on June 15th, a large force of Turkish riot police cleared and cordoned off the park.
A threatened park in Istanbul became a flashpoint for anti-government protest of all creeds.
About the uprising project
The Uprising project revolves around the right to protest and demonstrate. These happenings are commonly portrayed as flare ups, especially if there is violence, and presented without the context of what lead to the outbreak and what happens during these demonstrations. Inside these uprisings, communities form between sometimes very diverse groups. We aim to show the story of people who sometimes risk their lives for their convictions — even if that means just being there and waiting.
Stats
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19 days
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3.000 arrested
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8.000 injured
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11 killed