WITH a left-leaning trade union representing a quarter million workers joining the protest movement, it is difficult to agree with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the stir in his country is dying down. Even though he went ahead with his Morocco visit to show confidence in his administration’s ability to ride out the storm, his government is paying the price for the excessive use of force by the police. The protest against a development project in the heart of Istanbul was initially peaceful; it turned violent when the police fired teargas shells and burnt the protesters’ tents. Matters then went out of control in Istanbul, with demonstrations spreading to other cities. What, thus, was an innocuous local protest acquired a political and nationwide anti-Erdogan character.

Even though his Justice and Development Party (AKP) has won three general elections consecutively and enjoys a majority in parliament, Mr Erdogan has of late been accused of showing authoritarian tendencies. He also seems to have discarded the caution he initially exercised while dealing with Turkey’s deeply entrenched and powerful secular establishment. He has moved quite fast in such matters as abortion, scarves, alcohol sale and public display of affection, and in that process annoyed a cross-section of Turkey’s middle class. What is important to note, however, is that last week’s protests were a non-political, leaderless and harmless expression of dissent against a park demolition. The trade union’s decision to join the protest has obviously given the stir a political touch, with Mr Erdogan blaming the opposition Democratic People’s Party for instigating the riots, which have so far cost two lives. Nevertheless, Mr Erdogan is right when he pooh-poohs the ‘Turkish spring’. A ‘spring’ of the kind seen in the Arab world was a reaction against decades of brutal and corrupt military dictatorships. Turkey is a democracy. The protesters may have several reasons to release their pent-up anger, but the method should be peaceful and democratic. The best course for the malcontents should be to vote out the AKP government in the next elections.