Gezi Closed Again on 3rd Anniversary

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Those who wanted to go to the Gezi Park upon Taksim Solidarity’s call on the 3rd anniversary of the Gezi Resistance, gathered on İstiklal street yesterday (May 31).

In the afternoon hours, the Gezi Park and around the Taksim monument were blockaded by police barricades.

As of 6:30 p.m., Taksim Solidarity rallied in front of the TMMOB building in Beyoğlu, and People’s Republican Party (CHP) Youth Branch on İstiklal street. 

The CHP Youth Branch trying to move towards Gezi Park from İstiklal street was stopped by the police barricades and the sit-in act began. Afterwards, the Taksim Solidarity arrived at the İstiklal street and opened the banner reading “We are Together, We are Here”.

There were CHP MPs Eren Erdem and Ali Şeker, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP Garo Paylan, Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) Chair Alper Taş, and the families of Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, Berkin Elvan, Ethem Sarısülük, Ali İsmail Korkmaz and Hasan Ferit Gedik killed in the Gezi Resistance among the attendees.

During the march, those killed in the resistance were marked name by name, the slogan “Everywhere is Taksim, Everywhere is Resistance” was shouted. As approached to the police barricades in front of the French Embassy, the press statement was read.

"We are here, we are together"

Mücella Yapıcı, holding a speech on behalf of Taksim Solidarity, has shown reaction against Taksim square and Gezi Park being closed. She has added that they would therefore not be able to hold the press statement they have prepared for the day.

Yapıcı has read parts from the Press Statement of Taksim Solidarity on May 27.

“Gezi is this country’s cry for help, reflex of resistance and a deep breath in. It is the name of resisting injustice, arbitrariness, imposition and oppression [...]”.

It is a song embracing every resistance taking sides with labour, the poor, the nature, the otherized, the woman and the peace [...].  

"Just like how Mehmet  Ayvalıtaş, Ethem Sarısülük, Abdullah Cömert, Ali İsmail Korkmaz, Haşan Ferit Gedik, Medeni Yıldırım, Ahmet Atakan and  Berkin Elvan will remain the age at which they have left us and how we will remember them with their smiling faces and determined resistance, Gezi also won’t older like them”.

“Just to spite those who fear peace, we are here and together! We are together from Suruç to Sultanahmet, Sur to Bataclan and Cizre to Ankara! We bind together!”.

Following the statement, the mass has marched to Galatasaray square and later dispersed. Police has occasionally made announcements urging the mass to disperse without chanting slogans. (BK/ÇT/TK/DG)

Photographs: Beyza Kural / İstanbul / bia