Two art galleries attacked in Tophane, Istanbul

No certain information so far, but some reliable Twitter users I follow point out a gang behind the attacks: Youth organization of ultra-nationalist BBP.  This was formed by former MHP members who had a more Islamic tendency. They are known to have performed similar attacks before… Some quick to accuse “rising Islamism” but better to look at fascistic tendencies of neighbourhood residents (Tophane) and their possible relations with that gang…

Two art galleries attacked in central Istanbul
Hurriyet Daily News
Two art galleries in Istanbul’s Beyo?lu district were attacked by a group of 30 people carrying sticks and stones during a gala event Tuesday night leaving

From the attacked gallery…

The ugly side of Istanbul

Sometimes, you just don’t want to be right. Last night after work, I met up with some friends and headed down the main street in my old neighborhood to an “art walk” among a cluster of galleries hosting openings in the Tophane area of Istanbul. Civilized, right? Being as this is Turkey, I was a bit surprised to see some people strolling around outside with beer bottles and plastic cups of wine. As we approached our first destination, Galeri NON, the crowd thickened, blocking the sidewalk. “I hope this won’t be a problem for them,” I told my German translator friend, thinking mostly that the police might break the event up as they had a recent street party featuring alcohol.

EU to watch freedom of expression cases in Turkey more carefully – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

From the attacked gallery…

Islamists vs. Hipsters in Istanbul | EurasiaNet.org

School Boycott for Education in Mother Tongue

from Bianet :: English
The education union Eğitim-Sen and pro-Kurdish organizations called for a one-week school boycott in the Kurdish-majority South-East to claim the right to education in their mother tongue. President Gül criticized the boycott as the “enlisting of children for a political cause”.

ANDREW FINKEL – The Hrant Dink Award

Any regular reader of this column — or indeed anyone who has read it more than once — will appreciate that while I sometimes take a stab at being sentimental, it is not really what I do best. So I am at a loss at how to describe the ceremony I attended the other night in İstanbul.

Who is responsible for the roadside mine explosion?

by NAZLI ILICAK- SABAH
A mine explosion that took place in Geçitli, a village in the eastern province of Hakkari, last Thursday has confused minds again. Under normal circumstances, everyone would agree that the explosion was the work of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK).

LALE KEMAL – Demilitarization of the Kurdish Southeast

Before criminal investigations were initiated in 2007 and later against members of the military and civilians on charges of plotting coups, it was very easy to put the blame on outlawed Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK) terrorists for every brutal attack mainly staged against both civilians and security forces in the country?s war-stricken, predominantly Kurdish Southeast.

Hakkari, une province kurde sous très haute tension

from YOL (routes de Turquie et d’ailleurs) by anne

Que se passe-t-il dans la province d?Hakkari ? La tension déjà très forte depuis maintenant un an, vient de monter d?un cran.

Comme prévu, c?est la province kurde qui a le plus massivement boycotté le référendum du 12 septembre (résultats ici ). Moins de 7% des électeurs se sont rendus aux urnes. Seul le district de Semdinli, à la lisière de l?Iran et de l?Irak, a fait exception. Dans cette petite ville très religieuse, l?AKP possède encore un électorat, certes minoritaire (la municipalité comme toutes celles des villes de la province y est BDP – le parti kurde) et 30% des électeurs se sont déplacés, pour voter OUI – le même taux qu?à Diyarbakir. Partout ailleurs la population a massivement boycotté le référendum. 3% de votants à Yüksekova ! Et la plupart de ces rares électeurs sont probablement venus de l?extérieur (fonctionnaires, forces de l?ordre ?).


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