Picture From Taksim Square---From My Hotel

This picture doesn't really do it justice. There are people to the sides that you can't see--and people way back beneath the trees and spilling out behind them. It's hard to say how many people are here, but I'd guess 150,000. Really big turn out tonight.

It's kind of like a circus down there. People are, of course, selling things, like Anonymous masks, gas masks, flags, etc. Some are standing in huge circles doing some sort of traditional dance. There are so many people coming out of the subway that it is backed up for 1/2 hour to get out into the street.

There is a lot of graffiti on the buildings, burned out and tipped over cars that block access to the police from coming into the square, many ATM's vandalized. In the mornings, many of the protesters are out cleaning up the mess. Some restaurants and stands are giving away free water and donated food---which reminds me of the Occupy protests.

I don't think the government here will tolerate this much longer, to be honest. They've backed way off since Sunday, but at some point, they are going to want the city of Istanbul to get back to some sort of normalcy. The US State Department just issued a warning to travelers coming to Turkey, as did the Brits, and that's not good for the city--is what the government is probably thinking. Our hotel--a famous one in Taksim Square, is fairly empty, to give you an idea of the impact.

But still, giant cruise ships pulled into the harbor today. The word is that the government has backed off and tourism is still okay.

But I do believe at some point things can't continue this way. I doubt the protesters will back down from their demands and there is going to be a tipping point.

It has been a seriously interesting few nights here in the Square. None of us feel threatened in any way. My only concern is the moment the government begins to intervene again.

I think this is inevitable.

I also want to mention that the State Department said Americans have been arrested or injured during the protests.

Cool.

Good for the people.

Hopefully, some sort of compromise can be reached so both sides can be satisfied, without losing face or appearing to back down.

Good luck to the people, after all they're the most important factor in everything...no people, no Turkey.

reply to post by MRuss
Thank you for the bird's eye view! That is a whole lot of people!

Even if all is calm right now please stay on your toes- safety first!

Dailymail has alot of good pictures too. www.dailymail.co.uk... ead_module

Keep safe mob violence can break loose very fast.

That pic shows a lot of people (imo) , but I don't see anything sinister like burnt cars or graffiti.

Then it's a good distance, so that doesn't mean anything, and without motion I can't really get a grasp of the situation.

Have you talked to anyone? I'd like to hear their perspective of this, it's more legitimate coming from the horses mouth.

The burned out cars block the entrances to the streets that lead to the Square. Also, Taksim Square is a lot bigger than this---it goes off to each side for quite a distance and I don't have a wide angle lens, so you can't see the whole square.

There is graffiti on the buildings that surround the square, and even if I had a wide enough lens to include the buildings, I am too high up for you to see it.

Well thank you very much for reporting on the ground over there in Turkey. Once the government steps in, there could be problems.

What do you think would happen? Would there be some kind of civil war? Would it spread into other countries in Europe like Greece, Portugal and Spain?

Or would it die down...? Is this an anti-capitalist theme? Thanks. I'm looking to be informed. Maybe you know more since you are with a tour guide, etc.

No, not an anti-capitalist theme exactly.

Our guide says that the Prime Minister is becoming authoritarian--or other choice words. He is trying to control the populace. He is regulating the sale of alcohol, banning kissing on subways, choosing the lipstick color for airline attendents, tearing down green space for more mosques, malls, etc. increasingly becoming less secular, supporting Syria, imprisoning journalists and using force for peaceful demonstrations. The government is also highly corrupt.

The protesters want the Prime Minister to step down. They favor separation of religion and state and don't feel they can move backwards in time. They don't want to be an Islamic state.

The Turks embrace western materialism. This is a conservative country in many ways, but they don't want to move back several centuries and they feel their Prime Minister is headed that way.

This is according to our Turkish guide.

reply to post by MRuss


Thanks, that paints an entirely different picture.

Are there any live feeds available?

Selling gas masks? This should be a sign for gov it's not going away, they need a resolution or a revolution. TURKS ARE NOT HAVIN IT ANY OTHER WAY!

Originally posted by MRuss
Our guide says that the Prime Minister is becoming authoritarian--or other choice words.

Heard our government (US) was urging the PM to use "restraint" but wonder how much restraint would be shown here if we had a spontaneous protest like that.

What an excellent post.

This is the kind of thread that makes it worth being a member of ATS.

Please continue taking photos and adding them to this thread so we can really see the atmosphere of what is going on there.

I also liked your assessment of the reasons behind these protests. Thank you citizen journalist!

I second he aplause for the post......if possible keep us in the loop for sure...
ATS is the bomb.....
Im glad we have such a well mixed bunch of nuts.

Keep safe, buy lots of popcorn, and enjoy the show. The Prime Minister is going to have to make some changes, unless he's so rigid in ideology that he can't budge. In that case he may be carried out the door, hopefully kicking and screaming and not horizontally. Turkey is a European country, and many people want to see it revert totally to the Mideast concepts of law and morality. An odd mix and for it's citizens to take a stand is refreshing and bodes well for the future. Thanks for your work in posting this thread.

Revolution in their hearts the children start to march. All the young dudes carry the news. Great thread. The times they are a changing.

Originally posted by symptomoftheuniverse
Revolution in their hearts the children start to march. All the young dudes carry the news. Great thread. The times they are a changing.

Ahhhh, any excuse to post this beautiful rendition of the song and I'll take it:

Im sorry but i was trying to link a video of larry estridge,spirit of the revolution, but my links wont work. If any open minded person could find it on youtube ,embed it,then more could acknowledge our ignorance and find better ways to proceed

Any police/military presence you can see OP??

2nd line... sorry, it's just a quick question

Is there a true reason for these actions ? or people are spending their time outside ?