Hooligans Making History: Gezi Park’s Istanbul United

When protests erupted in Istanbul’s Gezi Park in 2013, the fight for social justice united many sectors of the Turkish people – including, importantly, the notorious “ultras” of Istanbul’s three rival football clubs Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, and Galatasaray. Usually feared for their violence towards each other, the ultras came together for the first time in history to support the protests, organized by the politically conscious left-wing ultra group Çarşı to unite for a common cause.

Gezi Park’s “Istanbul United” is a moving example of how the boundless energy of organized football fandom, combined with conscious political action, can become a powerful force for social justice.