On 30 May at 5pm local time, the police arrived unannounced to break up the sit-in. The police returned early on the morning of 31 May, and have since been using tear gas, rubber bullets, batons and water cannons to attack demonstrators. The use of heavy-handed tactics by police has resulted in numerous injuries, prompting tens of thousands of Turks to march in the streets of several cities, chanting “against fascism, we stand shoulder to shoulder.”
Critic spoke to Yeşim Tokgöz, a student at the University of Istanbul who has been at the protests. Tokgöz says that the protests now amount to a rebellion against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government, and criticised Erdoğan’s appearance on television in which he called for the protests to halt. “He talks as if it was a small demonstration but it’s huge. All across Turkey people are meeting in town centres.” Turkish media have largely avoided covering the events, and internet facilities in Taksim Square have been disabled. Instead, news about the protests was largely spread by word of mouth.
Tokgöz, who underwent surgery after being wounded by an exploding tear gas canister, said that the situation in Taksim Square was “really dangerous. The police are actually trying to cause injuries.” Video footage shot by her friends included protestors huddling into shops, screaming “I think we’re gonna die” as they fled from the police, who are “arresting everyone they catch.” Reports from the Interior Ministry say 939 people have been arrested at more than 90 demonstrations across the country.
Although the police had left Taksim Square, Tokgöz said they were returning periodically to conduct surprise attacks on the protestors. Nonetheless, the demonstrations had “created huge solidarity. The legendary enemies have come together against this fascist reaction.” At least one woman was in a critical condition in hospital in Istanbul, and numerous people had suffered trauma. Tokgöz said medical students in Taksim Square were tending to injured demonstrators as best they could as the protests enter their third day.
View the videos recorded by Yeşim Tokgöz's friends here and here.
