The Gezi Park Uprising or Gezi Park Protests was an uprising in Turkey by environmentalists to protect city parks in 2013. This uprising helped create the Gezi Park Commune.
Background
In Istanbul (the capital and largest city in Turkey) the local government was aggressively pursuing development policies and building many new things to attract investors. This destroyed many green, cultural and historical sites and pushed up rents and prices for most of the population. When it was announced that they planned to tear down Gezi Park - the largest green space in the city - to make way for a new shopping center and luxury apartments, many people were outraged.[1]
Events
Spread out over several weeks, the Gezi Park Uprising saw people in major cities battle police with rocks, improvised barricades in city streets and molotovs, often driving them out of buildings and streets. In response, police used tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray and occasionally ran over protesters. There were also anti-protest mobs who attacked protesters with baseball bats and wooden planks. Protesters burned down several police stations, government buildings and businesses to express their frustration.The riots largely subsided when the government reversed its decisions to destroy the parks and forests, despite saying they wouldn't listen to the protesters at first.[2]
Results
The movement succeeded in ending the destruction of a city park and several rural forests. The movement also opened up more opportunities for queer people and ethnic minorities. The major football club Carşi reached out to a major LGBT organization and apologized for its prior use of sexist and homophobic chants.The Pride march and the Trans march in Istanbul that June were larger than they had ever been in the past, as queer people felt more comfortable openly expressing themselves after the protests.[3]