Religion
In keeping with the spirit of unity and diversity displayed by the demonstrators, some did not shy away from holding public religious rituals in the park. They showed that religious displays and devout people were not solely under the control of the religious conservative government.
One prominent group of activists was the "Anti-Capitalist Muslims," a movement that combined religious displays with left-wing political messages. They actively opposed the neoliberal government's "welfare theology" with their activism.
Sufi imagery specifically, such as a semazen, was a commonly used symbol in the protests. Activists used these icons to evoke the peaceful and inclusive image often associated with Sufism.
All images
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Dancer with gas mask and a pink skirt The photo shows a dancer with a skirt resembling that of a semazen, but in pink and a decidedly feminine style. They are also wearing a gas mask. A large crowd has gathered around to watch the performance. -
Anti-capitalist Muslims praying The photo shows a group of Muslims praying in Gezi Park during the protests. The group is part of "Anti-capitalist Muslims", one of the most prominent interest groups that formed during the protests. The man in the front is İhsan Eliaçık, a theologian and the group's founder. -
Sen de gel! The graffiti depicts a semazen (Sufi whirling dervish) with a gas mask. The text says "You come, too!", referencing a famous poem commonly attributed to 13th century Islamic scholar Rumi: Come, come, whoever you are, Wanderer, idolater, worshiper of fire, Come even though you have broken your vows a thousand times, Come, and come yet again. Ours is not a caravan of despair. The poem's attribution is scientifically controversial, but the fact remains that Rumi and Sufism are commonly associated with amnesty and inclusiveness in Turkish culture. The graffiti references these qualities to emphasize the diversity and inclusiveness among the protestors. -
Wall with socialist and religious graffiti The wall is covered with numerous graffiti. One on the left depicts communist symbols and states "Taksim is red, and will remain red!". The sentence is based on the common anti-Islamist chant "Türkiye laiktir laik kalacak!" ("Turkey is laicist, and will remain laicist!"). The other big graffiti on the bottom says "All property belongs to God", on its own a common notion in Islam and other Abrahamic religions. Here it is contextualized against private ownership, supporting the rhetoric of "Anti-capitalist Muslims", a prominent grouping in the Gezi protests. -
The Whirling Dervish with the Gas Mask The photo shows a person with a semazen (Sufi whirling dervish) costume on top of a structure overlooking Taksim Square. The person is also wearing a gas mask, connecting the traditional and peaceful image of a semazen to the protestors.