The theme is emerging- a small protest is met with a draconian response. In Istanbul it was a small park slated for redevelopment. In Brazil it’s a fare increase on public transpiration.
It’d be silly to say these small issues lead to such fierce protesting down the road. But a harsh police response (point-blank pepper spray, water cannons, huge amounts of tear gas) can open a much larger, more powerful resentment.
In Turkey, it was the feeling by some that PM Erdogan has become autocratic and unfair. In Brazil, it is that the police are deeply corrupt, and the country wishes to build massive soccer stadiums rather than help its people.
Who will be next?
Unspoken Politics 