Istanbul Gezi Park Protests - 11th June 2013 Crackdown

Looks like the crackdown has begun on the protesters in Gezi Park and Taksim Square. The early morning hours of 11th June 2013, the police have gone in to crackdown on the protesters. It was only one day until a group of the protesters would have had the chance to talk about this project with developers and I believe with members of the government also but now will this happen or not? If extreme violence occurs today this could be a very bad decision to send in force in the first instance. Overall the protesters have been fairly peaceful and if any violence has occured it was because in some instances extreme force was used against them.

Very strange to see that today, almost all of the news channels are showing the crackdown but previous to this and when the protests started not many news channels decided to show the protests. The big joke amongst the protesters was that on the first day of the protests (correct me if I am wrong) one of the news channels was showing a penguin documentary and never cut in to that documentary once (ala Breaking News). Why? Unknown! Did it piss people off? Yes! Without a doubt! If divisions are shown so starkly within the media then these groups feel completely marginalised.

Congratulations to the police thus far for not going in to heavy handed but how long will their patience last before the heavy handedness starts again. With a panzer tank like vehicle going in first, you can only expect the worst. Currently as I write the pepper gas is being sprayed left right and centre. Getting out of hand again maybe, it certainly seems like deja vu!

Just hope the outcome for everyone will be a peaceful one and hope that no-one is killed or injured today!

Talk is cheap! Fighting is usually more expensive!