(en) Federation of German anarchists - The uprisings in Taksim - between hippie flair, self-government and nationalism (de)

The current protests in Taksim (Istanbul's) began as a gentrifizierungskritischen action 
on 27.05.2013. Had called urban development, eco, LGBTQ, animal rights groups and 
anarchists. Specifically, it was about the planned destruction of Gezi parks, which felled 
trees and should make way for a new shopping center. But how could this small action 
initially turn into a revolt of the masses? ---- In North Africa uprisings began last year 
with the action of an individual. Sometimes small protests can be the last straw that 
breaks the camel's back kindled and collective claims. It also abolished the small rally 
in Taksim, disclose the dissatisfaction of thousands of people, so that the subject 
completely shifted from its original source, a movement against the ruling AKP party 
("Party of Justice and Development"), and in particular against their Prime Minister 
Tayyip Erdogan and grew up against its police.

During the initial Gezi Park Action held a rally and set up tents in the park, which was 
already surrounded by Baubaggern. On 1 June police raided by 5 clock in the morning the 
ground and set fire to the tents of the sleeping (!). The awakened and storming out of the 
tents people attacked them with batons and tried to evict them from the premises. It was 
probably this immense and brutal repression by the authorities against the civilian 
population, which caused the spread of the protests.

Why suddenly appeared on national flags?

* Individual politicians inside the BDP ("Party of Peace and Democracy", represents the 
interests of the Kurdish population at parliamentary level) heard about the repression and 
came to the park to join the protests. Here, among other things, a photo, which it showed 
a BDP-politician as he is opposed to the dredging, to prevent cutting the trees used.

This in turn moved the Kemalist CHP ("Republican People's Party", founded in 1923 by 
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk when he founded the nation "turkey") to deeds, because these feared 
the BDP lead to the current parking protests and thereby gains popularity. To distinguish 
his own party, then suddenly appeared * politicians and members of the CHP with Turkish 
flags and Ataturk portraits on the Gezi Park. Thus began the first nationalist character 
of the protests. This was apparently the spirit of the time, since the Erdogan government 
had lost the very first time in the history of Turkey, Kemalism in power and influence. 
Among other things, Erdogan had broken the omnipotence of the military, which acted as the 
guardian of Kemalism and this had been in the past in the form of several military coups 
forcibly expressed. So Gezi Park were now seen everywhere at once in the national flags 
and hear slogans like: "We are all soldiers Kemal!", "Resignation of the government" or 
"dictator Tayyip".

Meanwhile, organizations of any other persuasions had joined the protests, including 
Marxists * inside. To understand why the Turkish national flag was used not only by 
Kemalist circles, one must go back a little. The historical education in Turkey is 
strongly influenced by the view that the Kemalist army was a revolutionary leader, has 
ended the European occupation and led an anti-imperialist war ended conservatism and 
Islamism and secularism brought. When around 1968 created various Marxist movements, 
called many Marxist leader, given the small working-class * inside this on, to unite with 
Kemalism, because you can only reach so a socialist victory. Some Marxist organizations 
then began to use the Turkish flag as a symbol of the independence of capitalist, 
imperialist countries (USA, Europe). This placed the national symbolism in left circles 
and is not limited to the followers * inside the CHP community. This historical 
development was the basis for the national flag that was used in the current protests by 
many people as a symbol of the protests. As anarchists, we find the course ludicrous, but 
given the historical basis not surprising.

However, during the whole protest was no party or organization in the foreground, which is 
very unusual for the turkey. Circles of the CHP, the protests have become ever popular 
nationally, in the foreground but rather the general discontent was the regime. A variety 
of people were on the streets to express their discontent, or to demand more freedom and 
autonomy - especially young people. In many of Kemalism was not really in the foreground 
and they let just carried away by the momentum of protests - through the many national 
flags did not think it erroneously as if there were a unified ideology.

The development of the protests and the Taksim community

During the protests, the unions also joined the DISK and KESK events and even called out a 
general strike. The PKK and BDP talking in the background now, however, because they 
probably did not want to jeopardize the peace negotiations with the government. But what 
is really surprising is that even the MHP ("Party of the nationalist movement," the 
so-called "Grey Wolves", ultra-right-wing party), began to participate in the protests. 
There were now everywhere battles with the police, which united the whole spectrum from 
left to right.

After the protests showed no end to the mutual attacks between police and demonstrators 
further heated the more likely that the police changed the strategy after a week and 
withdrew. In Taksim again now was a huge "community" founded: a self-governing area with 
tents, activities, workshops and evening plenaries. Here the money was abolished: Drinks 
and food were organized with the support of all and distributed for free on the site. 
There was no central administration, but meetings in the evening, where the events of the 
day were discussed and also other activities planned. During the day, thousands of people 
were sitting on the lawn, many of them remained with their tents at night. Everywhere was 
music, singing together, cooked and VoK?s performed. Films were shown on large monitors 
(and even football games) and concerts were performed. Physicians * built inside despite a 
ban by the government hospitals to provide injured. In lighted or embarked police cars 
books were made and founded libraries.

The municipality generated a great response. From other cities, there were signs on the 
streets with the inscription "Taksimer Commune". In just one week the community was 
visited by 2 million people, from families with children, pensioners * inside * inside 
actor, football players and many more. As a result, they gained more and more support. The 
development was very scary for the government, so that the police now received another 
intervention instruction and the site on 11 June admitted.

Is to emphasize that there has never been such a concept in the history of the turkey, 
which makes it all the more extraordinary. Such collectivist construct would have been 
unvollstellbar. In left-wing circles, which had characterized previous protests, an 
immense ideological split had been due to make out va personal disputes. Also between 
different ethnic groups. And even between left and right.

In the current protests, however, these barriers have been overcome. For example, there 
was no conflict between anarchists and people who hoisted the national flag. Muslims also 
took part in the anti-capitalist protests and led 5x/t?glich their prayers through without 
Left intervened. On the other hand, overcoming the barriers has reached such a dubious 
extent that the Left is clamped together with fascist * inside. There are some pictures 
and images of how recordable as leftists and fascists mutually help up from the ground or 
support attacks against the police. Probably noticed, the two are mutually PREVAIL 
currents, armed to the present. Only a few months ago, a left student at the University 
was killed by fascist students. What still is a lot of peculiar: suddenly all shouted 
together slogans like "Together shoulder to shoulder against fascism". The term "Fascism" 
is, however, based on the ACP - yes, even the MHP is the ACP now as "fascists" ..! The MHP 
this development was in turn probably a bit fishy, ??so they called on their followers to 
a few days to leave the protests (which then happened). How all this could take that 
phrase and what does it mean, no one really knows. We are at a loss as anarchists, but 
find the tendency to make common cause even with fascists purpose common enemy, highly 
disturbing. Quite apart from the fact that we do not find Erdogan better or worse than 
other government officials. His government also abolished as part of other governments. 
The system would be fairer if another party came to power.

Maybe the population is sick of ideological conflict. Or they just clamped together 
because of the common enemy of all connects. But perhaps comes again a political movement 
by the 90-generation, which has always been denounced as apolitical, disinterested and 
antisocial, but the current protests played a significant role. Perhaps the current events 
could also be a kind of belated "Flower Power" movement of the turkey. For although around 
1968 a lot has happened in turkey, all movement restricted solely to the political level. 
There was an attempt to change the political system, but no movement in terms of culture, 
ecology, women's rights, free love, pacifism, municipalities, music or art. In the 
municipality of Taksim, however all of these elements floating in a kind of "hippie flair" 
on the premises. Most likely, the current protests will pave the beginning of a new 
political era in Turkey. In which direction this will go, but it is unclear. You could 
also go in the direction of self-government and autonomous projects, such as in the 
direction of Kemalist takeover.

The role of anarchists

Anarchists were active in the protests from the beginning, especially since they had 
called the end of May together with other groups to the very first park occupation. With 
the immense rush of Kemalist * inside and left them, however, were pushed into the 
background, as anarchists still account for only a small portion of the entire left inside 
the turkey. The effect was therefore practically only to the outside of claims Kemalist 
(especially the call for secularism) dominates, even the otherwise very large Marxist 
movement went under.

At the barricades, in the community and in the plenums were anarchist * inside but active 
throughout the protests, though hardly in an organized way. Most were not wearing 
anarchist flags or other symbols, which further detracted from their public perception. 
However, there was at the protest site a variety of information booths where anarchist 
books, brochures and flyers were launched. Also a * r always jumped again a gespraytes A 
in a circle counter.

Unfortunately, even the anarchist movement in Turkey is divided against itself, and has 
not managed during the current protests to come together sufficiently. As a result, 
although there were many individuals who were active, but hardly organized action forms a 
larger number anarchists. Many anarchists were in the district "Cihangir" (300 meters from 
Taksim) together, which was known as a center of anarchist activity even before. 
Barricades were erected here and fought for days. This, however, without networking or 
meetings among themselves, but rather as a meeting individualistic actions.

The only group that actually occurred organized and also to the outside world was seen as 
anarchic, was the DAF ("Revolutionary Anarchist Action"). This is a Platformist group, 
which has largely kept inside * of other anarchist. Many anarchists criticize the DAF as 
authoritarian and hierarchical. However, one must keep her credit, she has shown the only 
anarchist group presence during the protests and its roughly 300 members in Istanbul were 
constantly active, have opened stalls and fought on barricades.

You should also mention the football fan club "Carsi" (einFanclub the football club 
Besiktas), which was active in various parts of Istanbul. You have an anarchist line for 
years and depend, for example Transpis during Fussspallspielen on. Your name "Carsi" they 
write with a circle around A. During the protests, they were also present.

In the capital, Ankara, there was a greater presence and network of anarchists. Here were 
jointly carried out actions, especially with eco-and LGBTQ activist and Marxist * inside * 
the inside, the fighting reached a far more violent and more radical extent.

The current situation

After police evacuated the Taksim Square, made on 17 June, the action of a young man stir. 
By the media as the "Duram adam" (standing man) betiltelte activists remained for hours on 
the Taksim Square without flinching or looking in any specific direction. His quiet Akion 
caused quite a furore, so that he was present in all media soon. The only time he 
responded to questions from the media, and that he expressed to the BBC that he was an 
anarchist and civil disobedience bar. His form of protest soon found imitators * inside, 
so that hundreds of people joined him and stayed rigidly on the court. After a few days, 
actually a comrade drew the initiator, the way out of the movement, back and thought that 
now it do not need it any more.

The whole thing has assumed a rather paradoxical extent. In the meantime, now appeared 
namely opponents of the so-called "standing people" (mostly from ACP circles), which 
activists protest against the standing * inside and these are rigid and with just blankly 
over. Since a few days, the police has now joined the spectacle has established chairs in 
a row and sitting protested against the "standing person" - and reading Russian 
literature, and all else that touches the crown. Current and expected the Taksim Square 
more like a grotesque scene to: masses of people who are frozen into a pillar of salt and 
each other mute to ...

On the other hand, again, there are house searches of activists inside * by the police. 
Also arrests take place, and it is difficult to give numbers.

An experience for anarchists

Although no anarchist ideas as such were in the foreground and the protests were 
unfortunately affected very nationalistic, so anarchist elements in the structures of Gezi 
Park protests were still present in many ways. So no party or organization was at the 
forefront of the protests, as there was little centralized management. There were a 
remarkable number of individualistic forms of action (such as the one with the "standing 
man"), which originated from their own initiative of individuals. Money and property were 
abolished, at least in the community and political protests were interwoven with cultural 
events. The protests were organized anti-authoritarian and non-hierarchical. These are all 
elements that are typical of the anarchist idea and movement. In addition, there are 
elements that it has never happened before in turkey. Even if we disturb the parliamentary 
nationalist and strategic direction of the protests, so these are probably still aspects 
that need to be taken into account. You could characterize space for new developments - or 
even for new ideas. In any case, the threshold is decreased in all age groups, go for the 
own concerns to the street or to provide even clashed with the police.

For anarchists, the protests were also an important experience. You can show us our 
weaknesses or errors and have raised many questions. For example, the question of whether 
a insurrektionalistischer or organized approach makes sense. Or the question of how to 
position themselves as anarchists in towards nationalism. Or, if you should not ally 
themselves with libertarian people or act independently of them. And if you ally yourself: 
how to preserve their own line?