Yet the crime rate was virtually zero. There was no looting, virtually no vandalism (accept police vehicles and a pastry shop owned by the municipal of Istanbul), no harrassement (even though there were young girls sleeping in the park alone), and no in fighting (even though there were ideologically opposing groups staying in the park).
I call bullshit. Huge crowd of violent hoodlums is bound to cause damage. Shop window, passerby's head, car - equally good targets for a brick. Those policemen are simple men, just like you, trying to keep country in order, just to get their heads bashed in. Even if some 5% of protesters act on a decent cause, the rest of them are what they are: adrenaline junkies, seeking to channel their frustration and violent tendencies.
There was a protest in Brazil recently, now that was quite peaceful.