Vocabulary

clash	election	movement
result	decisively	live pictures
policy	prevent	significant
proof	presence	press card
portion	lay/laid	essentially
erupt	turbulent	at the moment
area	polarized	out in force
calmly	opinion	over and over
chant	wave (2)	respectfully
cycle	in force	crack down
crack	as well	demonstrate
allow

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 
 
 
 

Transcript

It has been the most turbulent year in a decade of Turkey’s political history.

Clashes, week after week, month after month in Istanbul and in other cities, that resulted in the deaths of two more people just last week here in Istanbul.

The country is more polarized perhaps, than I’ve ever seen it.

The government has succeeded in winning an election last March, decisively.

But there’s clearly a significant portion of the Turkish population that is *not* happy with the policies of the democratically elected government.

And if you ever needed proof, just look at the police presence in central Istanbul in the commercial capital.

This is all to prevent people from being able to lay flowers in a park where the protest movement erupted a year ago. Erol.

“And Ivan, as you are speaking to us, we are going between what you’re showing us and other live pictures of the area at the moment.

Where does this go from here? Because essentially what we are seeing is that the police are out in such force, people can’t respectfully and calmly and peacefully voice their opinions in Istanbul.”

Well the cycle that we have seen over and over again is that people will try to come out, chant, wave some flags, and very quickly the police crack down and use force.

And often you get clashes erupting: demonstrators throwing rocks, bottles; and police cracking down with their use of force as well…

“Just a minute. Just a minute.”

so excuse me…

“Are you journalist? Passport please. Passport please. Just a minute. Just a minute. Just a minute.”

I think I’m a….so Erol. We’re being checked…

“Can I see your passport? Which channel? Which channel? Which channel?”

CNN. CNN.

Okay, can I see your passport?

So Erol, we’re being….

Journalist card. Journalist card. Can I see your journalist card? Just a minute.

My press card. This is my press card. It allows me to….It allows me to…work in Turkey.

Passport. Passport. Where is your passport? Where is your passport?

Okay, come with us.

I’m being kicked.

 

Questions

1. The political scene in Turkey has been very stable and orderly. Yes or no?

2. Is the population united or divided politically?

3. The country is democratic; it is a democracy. True, false, or maybe, partially?

4. Was there a heavy police presence? Why was there a heavy police presence?

5. What is the usual interaction between the police and demonstrators? Describe the interaction between the police and demonstrators.

6. What happened in the end?

 
 
A. This place is a “police state”. What do you think? What is a police state?

B. I have visited Turkey. Yes or no? Have your friends visited Turkey?

C. Is there freedom of the press and freedom of speech where you live? How would you rate it? There is complete freedom of speech and press; there is mostly freedom of speech and press; in the middle, in between; there are limits to freedom of speech and press; there is no freedom of speech and press.

D. Are there lots of police officers in your city? What is their role or duty?

E. What is it like in other countries? Have you visited a “police state”?

F. Why are some or many places police states? Why do some places restrict freedoms?

G. What will happen in the future?