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Welcome to Standing Silent Protest. We are a collective of diverse voices from across the social, political, cultural, ethnic, national and religious spectrum dedicated to harmonizing both justice and peace.
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In solidarity with a world at odds with itself,
The Standing Silent Protest Team
“Standing Man” Silent Protest Sweeps Turkey
Show of resistance defies government crackdown on uprisings
Erdem Gunduz (C) stands in a silent protest at Taksim Square in Istanbul early June 18, 2013. Gunduz, a Turkish man, has staged an eight-hour silent vigil on Istanbul’s Taksim Square, scene of violent clashes between police and anti-government protesters in recent weeks, inspiring hundreds of others to follow his lead. Gunduz said he wanted to take a stand against police stopping demonstrations near the square, Dogan news agency reported. REUTERS/Marko Djurica (TURKEY – Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS)
‘Standing man’ protests are going viral across Turkey in a silent show of resistance amidst violent government raids on the country’s expanding uprisings.
It started with one man who stood silently in Turkey’s embattled Taksim Square Monday, facing the Ataturk Cultural Center which is cloaked in Turkish flags and images of Kemal Ataturk.
Performance artist Erdem Gunduz stood with his hands in his pockets in the ground zero of clashes, defying government orders to clear the park of protesters, part of the violent crackdowns led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that have left four dead and over 7,500 injured .
When reporters asked him why he stood, Gunduz responded , “It’s evident. The people are not being allowed into Taksim.”
Soon Gunduz was joined by others who took up post around him.
The crowd swelled to hundreds as the hours passed, and the silent protesters slowly filled the square . After eight hours, over 300 stood motionless in the night darkness.