Is democracy at stake in Turkey?

I have a number of friends who live in Turkey, I still communicate by Facebook having lived and worked with these guys in the late 90s. Recently, Facebook had lit up with multiple messages and although I don't understand Turkish script, my interest was aroused with the frequency of their posts.


Taksim Square uprising

I had to ask, what has aroused the passion of Turks? Nothing had been reported in the Australian media at this stage so I had no idea what was going on. The future of Taksim Square was at stake and the Turks have had enough of his crash through style of governing.

Is Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a dictator riding roughshod over the will of the people? Or is the protest the opportunity for lawless and vandalism by government dissenters opposed by plans to build replica 19th century Ottoman barracks in the last of the green spaces in Istanbul?

Gezi Park, the urban square located in Istanbul was built during the war of independence holds a symbolic connection to the Turkish republic looks like being turned into a huge shopping mall. Is saving Gezi Park the issue or is it the trigger for wider dissatisfaction with Erdoğan and his government?