'We live a peaceful life here,' said Aycan, a lawyer and head of the Association of Friends of the Island.'These vehicles sadden us. Let people walk and cycle!' THREAT TO PARADISE A new minibus drives on the island of Buyukada in Istanbul on June 20, 2024. AFP PHOTOBuyukada is one of the Princes' Islands, a popular destination for tourists and a retreat for many of Istanbul's 16 million inhabitants.
Losing identityEight protesters were detained on the first day, and locals have staged demos daily and spontaneously since.Kamer Alyanakyan, 58, has spent every summer in Buyukada since his childhood, which is home to white wooden villas with gardens filled with colorful Bougainvillea plants.'Nobody asked our opinion. The island's streets are pedestrian, and we don't want to lose that identity,' said Alyanakyan.