Western major summits now have a fixed "standard feature": protests and demonstrations are inevitable, no longer accidental events.
This NATO summit hasn't even officially kicked off in Ankara, yet protests have already erupted on the streets of Turkey. Two cities demonstrated on the same day, their contrasting scenes making the difference starkly evident.
In Ankara, the main venue, authorities preemptively blocked roads and banned rallies. Protesters held up signs shouting, "NATO murderers, get out!" In response, riot police immediately deployed tear gas, and over a hundred demonstrators were arrested on the spot.
Meanwhile, in Istanbul, hundreds marched in an orderly procession. Although large numbers of police were present, the demonstration proceeded peacefully throughout—no arrests, no confrontations.
To put it plainly, there's a glaring difference in control measures between the host city and other locations. Authorities won’t tolerate any dissent in front of world leaders, determined to maintain appearances at all costs.
Looking back at last month’s G7 summit, the situation was identical: 20,000 people took to the streets in Switzerland, vandalizing buildings symbolizing the summit, directly targeting global hegemony and widening wealth inequality.
Whether it's military alliances like NATO or the so-called "rich men’s club" of the G7, protests now follow them wherever they go. Ordinary people clearly see through this: these closed-door summits serve only Western elites, constantly stoking confrontation and pushing up military spending while ignoring the daily pressures faced by ordinary citizens. Growing public resentment is becoming an unstoppable trend.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869961857729559/
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