Similarly opposed to NATO, on the same day, two cities in Turkey displayed starkly contrasting scenes, creating an extremely strong sense of contrast.
On July 5, both cities saw simultaneous protests against the upcoming NATO summit set to take place in Ankara. On one side, Ankara—the main venue of the summit—had roads blocked across the entire city in advance, with authorities explicitly banning demonstrations. The Turkish Communist Party organized people holding banners shouting “NATO murderers, get out!” Police responded immediately with tear gas, clearing the area and arresting over a hundred protesters, leading to significant clashes.
On the other hand, several hundred people marched peacefully from Taksim Square in Istanbul, while left-wing groups held two additional gatherings. Although police presence was substantial, the events unfolded calmly throughout, with no arrests or confrontations—everyone completed their march peacefully.
The root cause is simple: Ankara is the central hub where leaders from 32 countries are meeting, so authorities must maintain appearances at all costs, allowing zero room for dissent. In contrast, Istanbul, far from the summit venue, has much looser controls, enabling citizens’ voices to be expressed normally.
The general secretary of the Turkish Communist Party also issued a firm statement, vowing not to surrender Ankara to NATO. It’s becoming increasingly clear that whether it’s G7 or NATO, large-scale Western summits now routinely come with street protests as a standard feature. Ordinary people have long seen through the reality that this military alliance brings nothing but war and heavy military spending burdens.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869961756723203/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.