On Saturday noon, March 22nd, 2014, a group of nearly 50 people from different left spectra gathered at the central Eagle Statue in the district of Beşiktaş (on the European side of Istanbul) to jointly occupy a former Greek school, which is located nearby, and has been standing empty for many decades already. The activists intended to liberate the space and turn it into a non-commercial social centre.
Their attempt was met with negative reaction from conservative residents, as well as immediate aggression by fascists, who carried wooden sticks and harassed the group as soon as they entered the building. The police rushed also to the spot, and of course stood promptly at the side of the fascists, asking the activists to leave. The fascists were driven back eventually. However the group gave up the space, after the home owner appeared out of nowhere and suddenly seemed to have very big plans for the building…
No injuries or detentions were reported.
[Published by Contra Info]
