Foll0wing the brutal dispersion and attacks on protesters occupying Gezi Park, Domus publishes an account of the events by sociologist and professor Pelin Tan, with pictures by activist Eunseon Park:
“The transformation of the the urban environment has become a usual strategy for the government and municipalities in Turkey. For the Turkish government, new urban policies have become a justification for acts of segregation, encouragement of a neoliberal capitalist lifestyle, the progressive indebtment of citizens, exploitation, racism, corruption and the installment of a “state of exception” that violates human rights.
Originally an urban movement, the occupation of Gezi Park has transformed into a public movement. It is not only about protecting a green space and protesting against the construction of a new shopping mall, rebuilding a previous Ottoman military barrack in order to strengthen the pro-Ottoman identity. Instead, the occupation is a symbol of “being together”, commoning together, in spite of our differences in Istanbul. Here, people from different classes and environments gathered, and neighbourhood and cultural movements were involved before political organisations and opposition groups.”
via DOMUS A report from Gezi Park.