Istanbul May Day Protests

They riot in a particularly Turkish way here…… there may be protests; they may be really upset with the Government of the day; they may hate the police and all they stand for – but when they move concrete street side flower pots into the street – the bushes, small trees and plants are removed and placed upright to the far side of the pavement out of harms way. Rioters are all secret horticulturalists in Turkey….i wonder if I can sell that as a story to the Daily Mail, or write a book ….”The Protesters Guide to Horticulture: Plant care from behind a gas mask” ?

Once again I met up with my new found friend Zeynep of BirGün newspaper; however before I even found her I’d been tear gassed and batton charged. I’d also dropped my extra large Americano from a café I’d passed on the way ....

By and large the police ignored the press; a camera or notebook in your hand was a badge of neutrality it seemed – on only one occasion was I actually targeted; walking down a side street by myself a group of policemen appeared 20 metres away; I raised my camera and took a photograph, he raised a tear gas gun and I heard it whizz overhead…… running like hell I get around a corner still holding my breath and get dragged indoors by a local resident. Considering there was so much trouble I saw only 2 broken windows and nothing else destroyed – all the anger was targeted against the police and what they represent here in Turkey. Instead in many cases local residents cheered on the protesters from their balconies and pulled them into the hallways of apartment blocks when gas clouds trapped or chocked them. One occasion I saw a 65’ish woman lowering a basket of half cut lemons to the gas-affected rioters on the street level below with a wave of her fist and a shout of encouragement.

Very quickly I discovered that there are 2 weapons in a protesters armoury…..kerbstone and bricks on one hand; and a half lemon on the other. Protesters and press alike shared lemons amongst one another – rubbing the juice around your eyebrow and under the eye. It quickly neutralised the effect of the gas in the eyes – I was told it was pepper gas rather than tear gas – either way it made you retch your guts up through a screen of tears. Mid morning I was saved by some car mechanics who opened their garage door so that I could enter before being completely engulfed by two sets of gas clouds; they choked and coughed for minutes and called me “brother” when I apologised to them. The majority of the press had their own gas masks; I felt somewhat underdressed and realised how much better and closer to events I could have got if only I’d had one too.

Never one to miss a trick the Turks. I walked past an apothekery (sic) and one of the staff was outside selling surgical masks; a bottle of water in hand to douse it for you; 2YTL charge? We agreed on a single 1YTL and they laughed along with me as I posed in my new protection – as much use as tissue paper in a hurricane.

I could wander around the policemen at ease. On their breaks individuals frequently wanted to practise their English with me; where was I from? “Galle” (Wales); “ahh….” and one of “Ryan Giggs/Lady Diana, /Catherine Zeta-Jones” would tend to come back at me. “did I like their country? “was I married?”, “how many children?”; “did I have a pet?” – all the classroom English language questions were aimed at me; and then Simet (the round bread rolls would be shared out…). Surreal. I did wonder to myself how many of the student protesters had brothers and sisters in body armour on the other side…..how many policemen sympathised with the protesters; the issue in any form of civil conflict. If only the could all have shared simet and cai…..; the normal melting pot for all of Turkey it seems.

It’s been good to see how my images can be viewed in a number of different ways. I took one photograph of the body-armoured policemen on a break, having a cup of tea, on their phones – one friend has demanded it because it’s the “best gay cop porn” he’s ever seen….. Pulitzer prize I wonder?

I saw some headscarfed women sobbing in the street; I could see the photograph I wanted to take as I showed them what to do with the lemon. I watched as a headscarfed local resident silently and without emotion watched the body armoured policewomen from her doorway – the secular and non-secular Turkey of today.

I watched as protesters sat in café’s to drink their cai, lemons on the table tops…..exchanging places with their compatriots on the street to dance, sing and chant. Sometime later the police would move in – the chairs going flying under the pressure of the water cannon – gas canisters exploding and shouts as the protesters ran for cover. On three occasions I took advantage of residents ready at the doorways to take in out of harms way anyone caught in the vicinity; the elderly, the shoppers and the protesters. The Cihangir square café was a meeting point; some people eating food as the police moved in – life went on as normal right up to the point where the police came in and a water cannon firing red dyed water sprayed the café and protesters alike; 30 minutes later the café had been cleaned down and residents were sitting drinking cai once more; pools of blood red water about their feet.

In the main square the army marched up and down in a display of force . I took a photograph and the officer walked over; “where are you from?” he asked.

“Galle” I replied.

“Ahhh….Ryan Giggs; Manchester United…..Champions League final and Chelsea…. you see last night football with Liverpool –good goals, good goals …..”.


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MORE IMAGES

If you go to this link there are more images on here; look to the little square boxes to the right of the screen named “Istanbul May Day Protests 1sts…. 2nds, 3rds….” Then click the “SLIDESHOW” button to the top right of the screen and sit back with a cuppa. There are too many from the day to put on this site and I’ve put a load of them together to give a flavour of what the day was like…. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonowales/

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I’ve also written a little piece to back up the images from the day – a narrative on the background to peoples feelings and the history and significance of May 1st in Turkey in particular.

“Whilst the 1st May is a traditional day marked by Labour Unions, workers and students in many countries within Europe and the rest of the world; in Turkey it has special significance. In 1977 over 30 people were killed and around 100 injured in demonstrations held within the Taksim Square area of Istanbul. Since then, the day has proved a focal point for many anti-nationalist groups within Turkey to come together and highlight their various disagreements with the Government of the day; and Taksim Square has been the focus point for those protests.


Since that day in 1977, demonstrations or rallies have been banned from Taksim Square. However as in many previous years a small delegation of representatives were able to lay wreaths to those who had died in the Square on the day. The Prime Minister had insisted that the 3 main Union groups Türk-İş (Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions), DİSK (Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions) and KESK (Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions) may end up being a cover for more subversive groups and insisted that the decision preventing the use of Taksim Square as a centre for demonstrations was justified; “We see no good intention behind insisting on celebrating May Day in Taksim Square. Our decision about Taksim is clear” the Prime Minister said.

The Public Prosecutor's Office has since filed a case against TÜRK-İŞ, DİSK and KESK representatives alleging that they are guilty of inciting people to partake in illegal demonstrations.

Starting in Sisli early in the morning of the 1st May and spreading through the city as the protestors moved closer to and around Taksim; there were frequent clashes between protesters and police. As the crowds assembled or protested, pepper gas was fired, along with use of water cannon and police charges on the protesters in order to disperse any crowds that started to gather. However just as much as the crowds were chanting anti-fascist slogans on one street; parallel roads were carrying on life as normal and 30 minutes after battles between police and protestors; shops, cafes and restaurants were frequently open once more. Over 500 protesters were reported to have been arrested and at least 6 police injured during a day of unrest.”

By noon the Unions abandoned plans to protest in Taksim Square; jointly announcing “"We wanted to meet in Taksim to voice our remarks in a joyful festivity. Now, all squares have become Taksim.” "May 1, 2008 has revealed the true face of the AK Party. It has shown clearly that it is not on the side of the workers and labor." The Government in turn applauded the decision to abandon official protests and expressed a desire for peaceful protests marking May Day in the future.”