EMEK MOVIE THEATER PROTEST
"We Do Not Watch This Movie"
The struggle of movie lovers for Emek Movie Theater continues. A group of 1.000 people came together in front of Taksim tram stop and walked up to Yeşilçam street where Emek Movie Theater is.
The protestors tore the "Conquest of Beyoğlu: Grand Pera 3D" tickets that are specially prepared for this protest.
The protest march was organized by Emek Bizim Platform and the support of Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB). The protestors protested against the new project of Kamer Construction Company that plans to move the movie theater to the 4th floor of the building.
Emek is not ornamental
"Kamer Construction Company launched a new PR campaign on the grounds that the public has inaccurate and incomplete information. However, their new project called 'Grand Pera' aims to move the Emek Movie Theater to the 4th floor of the building and reducing Emek Movie Theater to an ornament of a movie theater chain with 10 cinema halls.
The protestors mentioned that the same project is being presented in another cover and said "Once again we are telling this; we'll not be convinced of any project unless Emek Movie Theater is renewed at its present place and its doors are open to the street."
The group marched accompanied by music and shouted slogans like "Misbah is the president, Beyoğlu is miserable", "We're here until Demirören is demolished", "Let it be destroyed by the applauses"
Beyoğlu turned into a movie theater cemetery
After 45 minutes of marching, the group came to Yeşilçam Street and they sat at the street of Emek Movie Theater.
The protestors expressed that Beyoğlu turned into a movie theater cemetery. They said "The big movie theaters having social memories are replaced by commercial movie theaters in shopping centers. We'll not be convinced of any project unless Emek Movie Theater is renewed at its present place."
The protest ended when the protestors tore the "Conquest of Beyoğlu: Grand Pera 3D" tickets that has the photographs of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Istanbul Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbaş, Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay, The Mayor of Beyoğlu Ahmet Misbah Demircan and Levent Eyüboğlu from Kamer Construciton Company.
The new project of Kamer Construction Company consists of adding 3 more underground floors to the building, moving the Emek Movie Theater to the 4th floor, opening 10 cinema halls in total and launching new food courts and shops at the building. (IC)