June 19 Taksim Solidarity Announcement
We are calling out from all across the country, from squares, parks, our homes, our rooms, unions, parties and wherever else we may be.
We stand together in all aspects of life, with all our values and our colors, our unshakeable common sense and strength to resist, our resolve and incredible creativity. We have not given up on our demands nor the things we’ve achieved so far.
For those who would like to forget, or those who have still not heard, let us remind them of our demands once more:
- Any ban or physical restriction on meetings, gatherings or demonstrations effecting Taksim and Kizilay squares, as well as all other squares and public areas as well as restrictions on the right to free speech be lifted.
- All those responsible for commanding, enforcing and perpetrating the repression of the democratic rights of the people to demonstrate, starting with those who stood up to the destruction of Taksim Gezi Park, and the violent crack down that followed resulting in the injury of thousands, and five deaths should be unseated and brought to justice, starting with the governors and Police chiefs of İstanbul, Ankara, Hatay and Adana.
- The use of agents such as tear-gas be prohibited.
- That those who have been taken into custody due to their participation in the protests across the country be immediately released and that an official statement be made to state that they will not be charged.
- That parks where we gather in moments of disaster be opened to the public immediately.
Those who occupy official positions on our behalf should know that they will not be able to ignore these demands, nor avoid being held accountable for the violence and crimes against humanity perpetrated in plain sight of the whole world by targeting political groups, football fans or individuals. These demands are no longer just ours, they are embraced by people around the world.
Hundreds of our friends have been detained in raids into homes, in complete disregard of universal law. Our constituents have been visiting and will continue to visit those who are under medical attention or those who need legal or humanitarian aid.
Thousands are under medical attention in hospitals because of the cruel, lawless, senseless and remorseless violence perpetrated. In recent days, random bag searches by security forces have led to the confiscation of simple dust masks and goggles people have been carrying around to protect their health and bodily integrity, their lives. In some instances the possession of these materials have been grounds for detainment. This random implementation endangers the most basic rights, the right to life, and bodily integrity. This implementation should be ceased immediately, and legal investigation into those who have carried it our so far should be undertaken.
We are currently gathering at our parks where we would meet in a case of natural disaster such as earthquakes, at 9pm in order to come together against this arbitrary and indiscriminate violence, the source and trigger of which remains unclear. We are addressing the wounds of our country and making peace….
Those who try to break us, scare us, and divide us into being lonely should know, none of us are alone. On the streets, on the road, at work, in the squares and neighborhoods we stand together in support of each other, trying to understand each other.
Long live our solidarity
Everywhere is Taksim, Everywhere there is resistance…
TAKSIM SOLIDARITY