4th anniversary of the Gezi Park resistance: ‘No, it does not end. Continue to Resist!’

Four years ago this week demonstrations started against the cutting of the trees in the Gezi Park, Istanbul, and spread all over the country bringing together hundreds of thousands of people who demanded justice, democracy, freedom and peace.

Taksim Square was surrounded by police and the Gezi Park was closed to the demonstrators. The coalition of Taksim Solidarity and representatives of political parties were present near Taksim, along with the families of those who were killed four years ago during the demonstrations and the Saturday Mothers who have been holding sit in protests for almost 650 weeks for the “disappeared” since the 1990s.

Demonstrators wore t-shirts with the pictures of those who lost their lives four years ago and carried banners which read “No, it does not end. Continue to Resist! 4th Anniversary of Gezi”

‘GEZİ IS THE RAY OF HOPE’

Demonstrators chanted slogans and marched onto Istiklal Street. On behalf of Taksim Solidarity, Can Atalay condemned the government for blockading streets and the squares to prevent people’s gathering. “Gezi resistance was about our future,” said Atalay, “and if teh future of this country lies with fraternity, then Gezi is the ray of hope we need.”
Then the coalition’s spokesperson Mücella Yapıcı read out a statement.

‘NO TO THE DARKNESS, FROM GEZİ TO THE PRESENT’

Yapıcı said those who are in power are still in fear of the Gezi spirit: “They are right to do so, as they saw that when we people come together we can resist the darkness, that we are not taken aback by rubber bullets, tear gas or arrests and detentions, that we stand shoulder to shoulder against these repressions.”

“Since Gezi we have been saying NO to the darkness and injustices,” said Yapıcı and criticised the government for not observing the constitution, international agreements and the principles of the European Court of Human Rights, and said there is a political climate where unlawfulness and arbitrariness are exalted.

She also commemorated those who were killed during the demonstrations four years ago and said their perpetrators have been encouraged by this unlawfulness.

During Gezi protests 11 people were killed and thousands were injured. (EVRENSEL DAILY)