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Au milieu de cette situation politiquement explosive, une collection de syndicats et des groupes d’affaires ont publié une déclaration appelant au calme et à dénoncer les «groupes marginaux» pour essayer d’influencer les manifestations.

L’Union turque des chambres et des échanges de marchandises (TOBB), la Confédération des syndicats turcs (TÜRK-IS), les commerçants turc de et Artisans Confédération (TESK), l’Union turque des Chambres d’Agriculture (TZOB), la Confédération du Real turc Syndicats (Hak-Is) et l’Union syndicale des fonctionnaires (Memur-Sen) a fait la déclaration ensemble.

Ils ont écrit: «Nous avons besoin de la paix et de la stabilité plus que jamais à l’heure où le monde entier est aux prises avec des problèmes et où tous les yeux sont tournés vers la Turquie. Personne ne doit oublier que la paix et la sécurité dans les rues sont extrêmement importantes pour l’avenir de la Turquie et de nos enfants. La violence et les combats ne résolvent rien, et ils ne permettent pas de résoudre les problèmes. “

Labor unions, professional chambers issue call for common sense in Ankara

Gezi Park protesters continued to occupy the park on Thursday. The demonstrations were peaceful. Protesters could take advantage of donated books and food supplies available in the park. (Photo: Today’s Zaman, Hüseyin Sarı)

6 June 2013 /TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL

A group of professional organizations released a joint statement on Thursday calling on protestors participating in the recent wave of protests that started in İstanbul’s Gezi Park and then spread to other cities to act with common sense.

The Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), the Turkish Tradesmen’s and Artisans’ Confederation (TESK), the Turkish Union of Agricultural Chambers (TZOB), the Confederation of Turkish Real Trade Unions (Hak-İş) and the Civil Servants’ Trade Union (Memur-Sen) made the statement together.

It was read out loud by TOBB Chairman Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu. The statement said the protesters were exercising their fundamental right of expression and said the unions supported this. However, it warned against attempts by marginal groups with ill intentions attempting to change the meaning of the demonstrations.

“We need peace and stability more than ever at this time when the entire world is struggling with problems and all eyes are on the rising country of Turkey. Nobody should forget that peace and safety in the streets are extremely important for the future of Turkey and our children. Violence and fighting don’t solve anything, and they make it impossible to solve problems.” The statement asked protesters not to allow criminal acts, such as vandalism, to overshadow “rights and freedoms.”

TÜRK-İŞ Chairman Başkanı Mustafa Kumlu, TESK Chairman Bendevi Palandöken, TZOB Chairman Şemsi Bayraktar, HAK-İŞ Chairman Mahmut Arslan and MEMUR-SEN’s Ahmet Gündoğdu were also in attendance during the statement’s reading at TOBB headquarters in the capital on Thursday.

CHP leader criticizes İzmir police chief

Although the Gezi Park protests have turned into peaceful and festive celebrations, alleged police violence elsewhere has continued. Videos showing an unidentified man with a club attacking protestors and passers-by in İzmir were shared online, with the İzmir police chief saying these individuals were plainclothes police officers.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said the İzmir police chief has failed a test. “You can’t have a civilian-looking police officer with clubs. Such people cannot represent the state.”

Interior Ministry probes undue use of force

The Interior Ministry has launched an investigation into claims that police used excessive force against Gezi Park protesters in İstanbul over the past week and will hear witnesses as part of the investigation.

Inspectors from the ministry on Thursday will first hear pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder, then journalists Mutlu Tönbekici and Mehveş Evin.

Dozens of people were injured and many others were detained in recent days in İstanbul and across Turkey after a police crackdown on demonstrators protesting the demolition of Gezi Park in Taksim. Önder was also taken to a hospital last week after a canister of tear gas fired by police hit him in the shoulder. The protest grew out of anger at the police’s heavy-handed tactics while trying to break up a peaceful sit-in to protect the park in İstanbul’s central Taksim Square.

Taksim sees calm night, clashes occur in Ankara

Protesters “keeping watch” at Gezi Park in Taksim on Wednesday night were dancing and singing in a calm atmosphere, and there was no police intervention to disperse the crowd.

Many protesters, exhausted after days of protesting against a government project to tear down Gezi Park and build a shopping mall instead, slept in bunk beds that were brought into the park, inside sleeping bags or inside cars that were damaged during the events of the past days.

The riot police was also at the square, but they stayed on their bus. In the early morning hours of Thursday, the protesters lined up before free-of-charge breakfast buffets opened up at the square. Most of the rioters were happy, as tents and free food is available in the park.

The protesters, criticized by the pious for being disrespectful to religious values, passed out special bagels (Kandil simit) prepared on religious days known as Kandil in Turkish. Wednesday night was the Miraç Kandil. There were also recitations of the Quran in the park by religious protesters. A group calling themselves the “Anticapitalist Muslims” prayed in the park and offered emotional support to the protesters.

But Ankara on Wednesday evening was chaotic, with police forcefully intervening, spraying protesters with pressurized water and using tear gas routinely.