Occupy Gezi: London Solidarity Demonstration, 01/06/2013

Video coverage from the morning session of a demonstration held in London's Hyde Park Speakers' Corner on July 1st 2013 in solidarity support for the situation in Istanbul, Turkey at that time.

Peaceful protests to stop the closure of Gezi Park (one of the last remaining green spaces in central Istanbul) were shut down by the police in an brutal and heavy handed fashion under the strict instruction from the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Erdoğan has stated he will not back down in his plans to convert the park (located in Istanbul's centre, and most popular shopping, nightlife and tourist district) into a shopping mall. The heavy handedness of the police against the initially peaceful protests has led to an uproar from the people across the country and worldwide who are now fighting for their rights; concerned that the democratic values of their country are being threatened. Erdoğan's tactics have also led to disapproval from Amnesty International, and other world powers such as the US Government.

Demonstrators gathered in London (Hyde Park initially, later marching to Trafalgar Square) to show their support for the people of Istanbul and Turkey.

Read more here:

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Please note: I produce these reportage videos from a totally neutral standpoint, showing events purely as I see them, and sharing what I saw with the world via YouTube.

If press (or indeed anyone else) would like to use any shots from here, please send me a message. 1080p25 XDCAM 35mbps available.

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Video © Nezih Savaşkan, 2013. All rights reserved.
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[FallingCowsLive]

taksim is everywhere - everywhere is resistance!!