Hundreds of members of the Turkish community rallied in central Sydney on June 1 to protest the Turkish government's crackdown on peaceful protesters in Istanbul over recent days.
Demonstrators in Turkey are determined to save a park in Taksim Square, Istanbul's equivalent of Cairo's Tahrir Square, which has been marked for demolition in order to build a new a shopping mall complex.
The protests against destruction of scarce green space in Istanbul's metropolitan area have now spread to other Turkish cities, and widened into opposition to authoritarian measures by Recep Erdogan's government.
Anger has spread over police repression of demonstrators, including use of tear-gas and water cannon.
One young woman protester at the Sydney rally, Ece Kaya, a PhD student in urban planning, told Green Left Weekly, "The Turkish government wants to demolish a historic park in Istanbul. Many citizens protested peacefully, but the government ordered the police to attack. Many were injured, and three to four people reportedly have died.
"The conservative Erdogan government is slowly stifling democracy in our country. Turkish people in Australia are joining their compatriots around the world to protest.
"The issues are both about the environment and democracy in Turkey. We urge the Australian people to support us in our just cause."
A leaflet distributed at the Sydney rally was headed, "Attention! Democracy is under attack in Turkey! ... Turkish democracy needs your support. Thank you! #OccupyGezi."