Taksim Gezi Park, Istanbul Demolition Protest, Occupy Development, Turkey, Turkish Architecture, Architect
Demolition of the central park in Taksim, Istanbul
Turkish Development Protest – Occupy Turkey
31 May 2013
Taksim Gezi Park – Demolition
Location: Taksim, Istanbul, Turkey
Park in Taksim
Istanbul demolition, public movement for city rights
image from architect
We’re an architecture site and don’t do politics, not that we don’t care or don’t have views, however we are a forum and for over a decade have occasionally run news items about architectural conflicts (eg Caltongate or Smithfield Market). This is about protecting city spaces for local communities (and for all of us), so I feel we should publish, but we do welcome comments on the architectural aspects, we aren’t a newspaper!
Thousands of people held a sit-in for a third consecutive night (30 May) in the city’s main commercial district to protest against a government-backed shopping center project to rebuild the old Ottoman barracks and make a retail mall. Protesters are trying to prevent bulldozers from entering the park to take down trees.
Text received today:
“Dear Friends
We need some international support to create awareness about what’s happening in Istanbul these days.
The ruling party, AKP, has been trying to demolish the central park in Taksim to make a shopping mall and residence.
There is brutal police force against the protesters who try to preserve the trees and the park for the couple of days.
The attacks of the police had been increasing and there are more than hundreds of wounded citizens, and a suspect of dead person.
Severe use of tear and pepper gas is affecting even non-protesting public, including many elderly citizens, children and people with asthma in Taksim region.”
Taksim Gezi Park
“Gas, gas, gas, it is the only way they deal with problems,” said Esen Tuna, a 21-year-old architectural student.
Taksim Gezi Park : CNN report, 31 May 2013 – external link
Taksim Square – short film clip – external link
Taksim Square protest – short film clip, 10 minutes after the one above – external link
Demolition of the central park in Taksim image / information received 310513
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