[Marxism] Brutal Police Violence Against May Day demonstrators in Istanbul

[Can Cemgil]

Another, and more critical, report of police brutality.

http://www.atilim.org/haberler/2008/05/02/Worker-popular_resistance_marked_the_May_Day.html

________________________________________
From: marxism-bounces+ccemgil=bilgi.edu.tr at lists.econ.utah.edu [marxism-bounces+ccemgil=bilgi.edu.tr at lists.econ.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Eyup Ozer [eyupozer at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 5:42 PM
To: Can Cemgil
Subject: [Marxism] Brutal Police Violence Against May Day demonstrators in      Istanbul

(please distribute widely)

Below there is a news story from "Turkish Daily News" about brutal police
attack against workers in Istanbul. According to unions 900 people were
taken into custody. And police attacked the headquarters of Freedom And
Solidarity Party (ÖDP) and Trade Union Federation (DİSK).
You can send your letters of protest and solidarity to
1mayistanbul at gmail.com .
You can find detailed reports, photos and videos at following links.

Videos;
http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/modules/habervideo/video.asp?CatID=3&cbVideo=4793&cbQuality=1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vNnDGsWh7JQ
http://www.cnnturk.com/video/index.asp?vid=4943

Photo Galeries;
http://fotogaleri.ntvmsnbc.com/detay.aspx?categoryID=9&galleryID=1278&picID=0&dp=1
http://www.cnnturk.com/FotoGaleri/index.asp?PID=318&GID=454385

News from several sources;
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=&ie=UTF-8&ncl=1151986428


<http://fotogaleri.ntvmsnbc.com/detay.aspx?categoryID=9&galleryID=1278&picID=15547&dp=2>

Clouds of Taksim tear gas force unions to back down
(http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=103430 ) *Friday,
May 2, 2008*

*Trade unions are forced to back down from their demand to rally in Taksim
Square, under extraordinary police presence. Demonstrators in Şişli disperse
under tear gas attacks, but scattered groups protest in streets around
Taksim, as hundreds of people are taken into custody*

*TAYLAN BİLGİÇ / ÖZGÜR KORKMAZ*
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

  The contest of wills between the government and trade unions ended
yesterday with unions backing down from their demand to hold a rally in
Taksim Square, overwhelmed by thousands of police, soldiers and an repeated
clouds of tear gas.

   Labor Day, welcomed by mostly peaceful demonstrations elsewhere in the
world, turned into something just short of torture for demonstrators,
tourists, expats, journalists and the average citizen in Istanbul. Official
tallies put the number detained at 505 people with six police
officers injured at the time the Turkish Daily News went to press. No
official tally of civilian injuries was available late yesterday but
journalists witnessed scores of beatings, one marching politician suffered
heart problems while another fainted and patients at one hospital were
forced to flee after the facility was gassed.

  As the day began, Istanbul residents knew what was coming when thousands
of police started blocking all roads leading to Taksim Square, the location
where trade unions were insistent on celebrating Labor Day due to its
symbolic value, as early as Wednesday night. Walking to the square from
İstiklal Street yesterday morning, one could observe that riot police
�robocops, as they are called
� easily outnumbered civilians and journalists, some with gas masks. The
scene at the square was surreal as Istanbul's most lively area was besieged
with thousands of polices, the center barricaded with iron fences and Taksim
Gezi Park turned into a barracks with hundreds of soldiers awaiting orders.
At least 20,000 policemen were in and around Taksim.

  That kind of scene was even a bit too much for citizens, but for
foreigners, it was shocking. "I am terrified," said Margarita, a
Finnish-born British doctor who declined to give her surname. "Nobody at the
hotel warned me of this." As it was explained the commotion was on account
of Labor Day, her confusion only grew. "Labor Day means holiday and big,
peaceful demonstrations. This is bloody annoying." She wanted to reach the
Marmara Hotel to meet with her friend so that they could go to Topkapı
Palace. The police would not let her. Compounding her problem was the
fact "the police inside" would not let her friend out of the hotel either.
Through cell phone negotiations, the police were persuaded to let her out.
Police in the morning forced their way into the Istanbul headquarters of
DİSK, the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions, in Şişli district
firing teargas and spraying pressurized water inside. Mehmet Ali Özpolat, a
deputy from the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) had a heart
spasm, while Çetin Soysal, another CHP deputy, fainted.



*Controlled force: *

  At 10:00 a.m. a tear gas canister exploded right beside a group of
demonstrators who were chanting "Resign, Governor!" against Istanbul
Governor Muammer Güler, who had declared the government would use
"controlled force" against protestors. "37MM Multiple Projectile," it said
on an empty canister. From Wyoming to Istanbul.

  Hundreds of members of the CHP, workers from different unions and a small
group of members of various leftist organizations confronted the police. The
CHP's deputy, Soysal, tried to stand in front of a police armored vehicle,
shouting, �Don't do this, it is wrong.� To no avail.

  �Police provoked the people here,� he later told the TDN. �May Day is
celebrated all around the world as a day of celebrations, workers paid the
price for this right,� he said. �But the government does not want to hear
the voice of the workers. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)
does not want an organized opposition.�

  A group of 200 demonstrators escaped to the narrow streets surrounding
Nişantaşı. They chanted slogans and threw rocks at the police. Police
answered by tear-gassing almost every street in the neighborhood. Some
lowered their launchers when firing, hitting a couple of protestors.

  A police car with an unofficial license plate, owned by a high-level
police officer, got caught up in the clashes, where its windows were smashed
by demonstrators. The scuffle drew protests from citizens, some of whom
started hurling rocks at the demonstrators from in front of police
lines. �Where
are the residents of this neighborhood, aren't you Turks,� shouted one man
just after throwing a big piece of rock. �We cannot let these bastards take
our streets,� he said.

  Police officers were then applauded by scores of people after they
dispersed the protestors. �We are proud of you,� some chanted. �They got
what they deserved,� said a shop owner. �They don't have the right to come
here and clash with the police on our streets.�



*Hospital targeted: *

  Later in the morning, the police fired tear gas into the Şişli Etfal
Hospital. Patients and unfortunate citizens tried to flee the engulfing fog.
Old women coughing and crying were trying to understand what was happening,
as it was the first time they experienced such a thing. Drugstores and other
shops pulled down their shutters, but the gas infiltrated everywhere.

  At the Confederation Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DİSK) headquarters six
attacks had been witnessed by 10:20 a.m., said Seyit Aslan, secretary
general of Gıda-İş trade union. "The first one came without warning, while
people were just sitting in front of the building," he said. "Deputies have
tried calling the governor, the justice minister and the interior minister
many times, but they refuse to speak."

  Süleyman Çelebi, president of DİSK, and others moved to the barricades to
negotiate with the only official they could talk to, a top police officer.
The group included İsmail Hakki Tombul, president of KESK, the Confederation
of Public Sector Trade Unions, Democratic Society Party (DTP) deputies Akin
Birdal, Ahmet Türk, Hasip Kaplan and Aysel Tuğluk, and Ufuk Uras, deputy and
leader of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP).

  "These events show how far this country is from democracy," said Ferhat
Tunç, a well-known protest music artist. "In the [DİSK] building, I for one
moment thought they were going to burn us down. The people should see that
the AKP has never been a party that supports democracy."

  "I have been to 37 countries, but never seen such disgrace," said Necdet
Kiran, a former seaman and now municipal worker.

  Half an hour later, Çelebi and the others arrived. As expected, they could
not obtain permission to march to Taksim. Speaking to the crowd from atop a
party campaign bus, Çelebi explained the situation. "Istanbul is a giant
prison now," he said. "In order not to be tools in this government
provocation, we end our protest."

  Easier said then done. For the road to Mecidiyeköy and Taksim were
barricaded by hundreds of robocops. Some protestors tried to leave, only to
be tear-gassed again. Marching or not, the police seemed intent to finish
their tear gas stocks. As small crowds in parallel streets tried to
demonstrate, only to be tear-gassed again, the temporary solution became
another speech to the main group in front of the CHP headquarters in Şişli.
After blasting the government and the police with slogans, people dispersed
in various streets.

  In the afternoon demonstrators moved to İstiklal Street and other
locations near Taksim Square. Siraselviler, İstiklal and other streets were
filled with poisonous gas. Nearly 500 people were taken into custody during
the day, police said. But trade unions put the number at around 900. As
scattered protests continued into the evening, Istanbul celebrated another
unique Labor Day.
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