On the anniversary of Gezi protests, PM Erdoğan braces for second round

In the early hours of May 28, 2013, police attacked a small group of environmentalists in Gezi Park, near Istanbul’s historic Taksim Square. Many demonstrators, who were protesting the plans to build a mall on the park area, were injured during the crackdown, their tents were burnt down and the police violence on the protesters sparked nationwide protests against the government and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose “I say what I want and I do what I want” approach to politics had already hit many nerves.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has since labeled the Gezi protests as “attempts to overthrow the government through street demonstrations.” Erdoğan based his strategy on “the supporters of the national will against those who do not respect it.”

This strategy worked for the AKP in the March 30 elections and Erdoğan seems to be determined to stick to it one year after the protests, and two months before the country’s first presidential election using the public vote. Despite the killing of 10 people due to police brutality since the protests first erupted, Erdoğan did not shy from expanding his criticism of the “plotters” to include the country’s Alevis.

“Legal and illegal organizations cooperated in spreading the [Gezi] protests, targeting the country’s economy and stability,” Erdoğan told his parliamentary group meeting on May 27, the anniversary of the May 27, 1960 military coup. He, of course, mentioned the coup that targeted Prime Minister Adnan Menderes – who was later hanged by the junta, together with his two ministers – arguing that the recent corruption allegations against his...

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