June 18 Statement from LGBT BLOCK in Turkey

What began as a protest against the construction of a shopping mall in Gezi Park in Taksim Square, turned into a resistance movement against the oppressive politics of Turkish government that has been ongoing since May 27, 2013.

As an LGBT block, we have been an integral part of this movement which started as a peaceful civil disobedience and continues to protect its peaceful nature. As a group of people threatened to be removed from city centers due to urban reconstruction projects, we walked out into the streets to defend our neighborhoods against capital accumulating investment deals.

At the end of the 20th day of occupation at the park, on Saturday June 15th police with the help of the military police, entered Gezi Park by force, violently dispersing the crowd with tear gas. They then proceeded to intervene with pressurized water laced with chemicals and tear gas to the hotels, infirmaries and hospitals, including indoor areas in which many people sought medical help and security. These interventions continued onto the following day, Sunday June 16th. Again, during the day on Sunday police and military police attacked the public, who were trying to get to Taksim Square to practice their democratic right to peaceful assembly, with tear gas and chemically enhanced pressurized water. People were beaten and taken into custody by the police. Pro-government fascist groups were also seen attacking people with knives and bats on the streets.

These attacks came the day after Prime Minister Erdogan met with members of the Taksim Solidarity group which represents Gezi Park resistance. At the time of the attack, along with its residents in tents set up all over, the park had visitors including children enjoying the weather and the festival like atmosphere created by the people organizing at the park for over two weeks. There were concerts, art workshops for children and other social activities in different locations in the park including deliberations about the anti-democratic actions of the government between people of different identities and ideologies. The Gezi Park occupation itself became a hub for cultural activities, a platform of communication and a sharing of a public eager to generate life, forming a unity around the principle of freedom

Moreover, during this attack police forcibly kept all journalists outside of the park. At the end of 21 days many journalists were beaten and taken under police custody. Many mainstream media channels did not report openly out of fear of censorship and the government fined others who did.

Since the beginning of the spread of resistance over all of Anatolia, May 31st until June 18th, according to Turkish Doctors' Union (TTB) report, there are a total of 4 deaths (one of whom is a police officer), 59 heavily injured, 6 of whom are at life risk. 91 people have suffered head traumas from tear gas canisters, 11 lost an eye and the total of people who have reported to the infirmaries set up around resistance sites and hospitals with injuries reached to 7,822. One of the head trauma victims is a 14 year old still fighting for his life.

We also observed signs of the use of plastic bullets on the bodies of the wounded and unknown people beat many who were taken into police custody. Since June 15th, there are several video and photographic evidence collected showing the police entering apartments without warrants, kicking apartment doors, and shooting tear gas into the hotels around Gezi Park.

Over the weekend, during planned police operations and violent attacks several citizens including lawyers, doctors and journalists were taken into custody. According to the explanations by Modern Lawyers Association, currently in Istanbul, there are 169 in custody waiting to give their statements and 450 who have been reported to the crisis centers, however have not yet been taken to police stations (http://www.bianet.org/english/human-rights/147672-450-missing-169-detain...). We are terribly concerned about the risk of being lost while under police custody.

Among those in police custody there are several doctors who had been providing first aid to the wounded and injured on their own initiative. The temporary infirmaries were destroyed; the police collected the medical resources which were donated by the public. Moreover, the explanations and reports given by the governor on the events conflict with those coming from the Bar and non-governmental organizations following the events. Speeches from the government officials target the protestors, as "terrorists" and the silence and selective reporting of the mainstream media are evidences of the use of disinformation. The current government is actively trying to hide the police violence and violation of the democratic rights of the people in Turkey. We contend that these actions of the government are what caused the increase of police brutality in Turkey.

In Ankara, the funeral convoy for Ethem Sarısülük who was shot in the head by a police officer with a plastic bullet was stopped and the funeral service had to change locations after the police intervention.

As one of the active constituents of Taksim Solidarity Platform, LGBT Block, we are concerned for our well being during the 4th Annual Trans Pride March on June 23rd and 11th Annual LGBT Pride March. We are afraid that we may experience severe police brutality during our marches, taking away our primary democratic right to peaceful assembly.

Additionally, during its 11 year service, the AKP government has not taken into consideration the demands of equality by LGBT groups. In both the parliament and in front of the public, they have declared LGBT existence as a sickness, a social deterioration, an imitation and an immorality. AKP deputies have stated that they will never support adding sexual orientation protections against discriminations to the constitution.