Amanda Rivkin

Turkey Gezi Uprising

The most significant urban riots in recent Turkish history resulted in no change to the status quo. 

  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. The crowd in Taksim Square reacts to a pyrotechnics show of fireworks and torches in during ongoing protests against the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies a week after demonstrators forced police to withdraw from the square have lead to a carnival-like sit-in on June 8, 2013. A week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Istanbul's Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone; the crisis, which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall, has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ANKARA, TURKEY. Protesters gather on Kennedy Street to express their distaste for Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party, known by its Turkish acronym AK Party, on June 16, 2013. Since protesters occupied and were evicted from Gezi Park in Istanbul's main Taksim Square in late May, nationwide protests have followed in solidarity with the cause and against Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. A protester poses in front of a Turkish-made TOMA riot control vehicle in Taksim Square the evening after riot police moved to retake the square the night before on June 12, 2013. After 11 days of protest and occupying Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square, riot police firmly took control of Taksim Square with street battles on back streets occurring until the early hours of the morning and a few hundred demonstrators continuing to camp out in the adjacent Gezi Park.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. A young woman is seen smoking a cigarette in the middle of the tent city in Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square where ongoing protests against the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies a week after demonstrators forced police to withdraw from the square have lead to a carnival-like sit-in on June 8, 2013. A week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Istanbul's Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone; the crisis, which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall, has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Turks continue to occupy Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square by camping out on June 10, 2013. Ten days of protests that began over plans to demolish Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square and have spread into a nationwide manifestation of dislike for the policies and ruling style of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who critics charge has become increasingly authoritarian.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Turks wave their hands in Gezi Park after a week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone on June 5, 2013. The crisis which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party, and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Flags bearing Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed PKK leader, and the Kurdish national flag are seen in the middle of Taksim Square on an overturned police vehicle during a protest of the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies a week after demonstrators forced police to withdraw from the square leading to a carnival-like sit-in on June 8, 2013. A week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Istanbul's Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone; the crisis, which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall, has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Protesters remain camped out in Gezi Park after 12 days of occupying the park after police retook the adjacent Taksim Square but left demonstrators in the park on June 13, 2013. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has offered a referendum on the park to residents of Istanbul, despite there being no law allowing for such practices, and telling demonstrators to evacuate the park as patience with the demonstration is over.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Posters of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk surrounded by painted over graffiti are seen near Taksim Square on June 13, 2013. On the 17th day of protest and periodic riots in Istanbul, many awoke to find graffiti opposing the ruling Justice and Development Party, known by its Turkish acronym AKP, had been painted over by municipal workers overnight.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Police fire tear gas at demonstrators on the road and into Gezi Park from Taksim Square as they move on the square on June 11, 2013. After 10 days of protest and occupying Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square, riot police moved to retake the square; last night, the Prime Minister called a meeting for tomorrow with protest leaders.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. A man is seen protecting his eyes from tear gas as smoke billows from a flaming vehicle in Taksim Square as riot police move on the square on June 11, 2013. After 10 days of protest and occupying Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square, riot police moved to retake the square; last night, the Prime Minister called a meeting for tomorrow with protest leaders.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Women react to tear gas in Taksim Square as riot police move on the square on June 11, 2013. After 10 days of protest and occupying Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square, riot police moved to retake the square; last night, the Prime Minister called a meeting for tomorrow with protest leaders.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. A young woman blows bubbles in Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square where ongoing protests against the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies a week after demonstrators forced police to withdraw from the square have lead to a carnival-like sit-in on June 8, 2013. A week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Istanbul's Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone; the crisis, which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall, has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. A bride and groom promenade in Taksim Square in protest of the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies a week after demonstrators forced police to withdraw from the square leading to a carnival-like sit-in on June 8, 2013. A week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Istanbul's Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone; the crisis, which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall, has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. A motorcycle rally occurred late Sunday afternoon in Taksim Square where ongoing protests against the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies a week after demonstrators forced police to withdraw from the square have lead to a carnival-like sit-in on June 9, 2013. A week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Istanbul's Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone; the crisis, which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall, has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. The crowd in Taksim Square reacts to a pyrotechnics show of fireworks and torches in during ongoing protests against the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies a week after demonstrators forced police to withdraw from the square have lead to a carnival-like sit-in on June 8, 2013. A week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Istanbul's Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone; the crisis, which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall, has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Turks gather in Taksim Square where ongoing protests against the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies a week after demonstrators forced police to withdraw from the square have lead to a carnival-like sit-in on June 8, 2013. A week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Istanbul's Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone; the crisis, which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall, has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Turkish children light a paper lantern at a protest in Taksim Square after a week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from the square as it transforms increasingly into a free, carnival-like zone in Istanbul, Turkey on June 6, 2013. The crisis which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party, and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Davide Martello, an Italian pianist and peace activist, plays The Beatles' {quote}Let It Be{quote} and the Italian partisan song {quote}Ciao Bella{quote} on the piano to a crowd that includes riot police in Taksim Square the evening after riot police moved to retake the square the night before on June 12, 2013. After 11 days of protest and occupying Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square, riot police firmly took control of Taksim Square with street battles on back streets occurring until the early hours of the morning and a few hundred demonstrators continuing to camp out in the adjacent Gezi Park.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. A vendor is seen in Taksim Square early in the morning on June 10, 2013. After more than a week of protests in Taksim Square against the demolition of the adjacent Gezi Park in favor of a reconstructed Ottoman barracks and shopping mall which have escalated into a nationwide call of the country's secular-minded citizens for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to resign, the signs of life slowly returning to normal are gradually reappearing after a weekend of street parties.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Turks continue to sleep in Gezi Park a night after riot police moved to retake Taksim Square on June 12, 2013. After 11 days of protest and occupying Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square, riot police firmly took control of Taksim Square with street battles on back streets occurring until the early hours of the morning and a few hundred demonstrators continuing to camp out in the adjacent Gezi Park.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Turks climb across a deconstructed construction site in Taksim Square in protest of the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies a week after demonstrators forced police to withdraw from the square leading to a carnival-like sit-in on June 8, 2013. A week of protests led to police being barricaded out of and withdrawing from Istanbul's Taksim Square as it transforms increasingly into a free zone; the crisis, which began over construction of a park and plans to reconstruct Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall, has evolved into Turkey's biggest political crisis in decades as Turks express frustration with the current AK Party, Justice and Development Party and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Women react to the tear gas in Taksim Square as riot police move on the square on June 11, 2013. After 10 days of protest and occupying Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square, riot police moved to retake the square; last night, the Prime Minister called a meeting for tomorrow with protest leaders.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. A mattress is seen on a pile of rubble after riot police moved to retake Taksim Square the night before on June 12, 2013. After 11 days of protest and occupying Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square, riot police firmly took control of Taksim Square with street battles on back streets occurring until the early hours of the morning and a few hundred demonstrators continuing to camp out in the adjacent Gezi Park.
  • ISTANBUL, TURKEY. Turks move to construct new barricades a night after riot police moved to retake Taksim Square on June 12, 2013. After 11 days of protest and occupying Gezi Park adjacent to Taksim Square, riot police firmly took control of Taksim Square with street battles on back streets occurring until the early hours of the morning and a few hundred demonstrators continuing to camp out in the adjacent Gezi Park.
  • SINCAN, TURKEY. Posters of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of Turkey's secular republic, and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan are seen adorning the facade of a building in Kent Square during a Justice and Development Party, AKP, rally where Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was to speak after more than two weeks straight of protests across Turkey against his rule on June 15, 2013. Sincan is the site of the 1997 {quote}post-modern coup{quote} and where Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan chose for his Ankara rally to bolster his position with regard to ongoing protests in Istanbul's Taksim Square and across Turkey; at his rally he said that the security services would promptly take care of the protesters and shortly after riot police were unleashed on the peacefully gathered demonstrators who quickly retook the square.
  • SINCAN, TURKEY. Supporters of the Justice and Development Party, AKP, and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gathered at a rally to hear Erdogan speak after more than two weeks straight of protests across Turkey against his rule on June 15, 2013. Sincan is the site of the 1997 {quote}post-modern coup{quote} and where Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan chose for his Ankara rally to bolster his position with regard to ongoing protests in Istanbul's Taksim Square and across Turkey; at his rally he said that the security services would promptly take care of the protesters and shortly after riot police were unleashed on the peacefully gathered demonstrators who quickly retook the square.
  • SINCAN, TURKEY. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a crowd of supporters after more than two weeks straight of protests across Turkey against his rule on June 15, 2013. Sincan is the site of the 1997 {quote}post-modern coup{quote} and where Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan chose for his Ankara rally to bolster his position with regard to ongoing protests in Istanbul's Taksim Square and across Turkey; at his rally he said that the security services would promptly take care of the protesters and shortly after riot police were unleashed on the peacefully gathered demonstrators who quickly retook the square.
  • SINCAN, TURKEY. Religious female supporters of the Justice and Development Party, AKP, and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan lean out their window to hear Erdogan speak after more than two weeks straight of protests across Turkey against his rule on June 15, 2013. Sincan is the site of the 1997 {quote}post-modern coup{quote} and where Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan chose for his Ankara rally to bolster his position with regard to ongoing protests in Istanbul's Taksim Square and across Turkey; at his rally he said that the security services would promptly take care of the protesters and shortly after riot police were unleashed on the peacefully gathered demonstrators who quickly retook the square.
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