>> hello and a very warm welcome to." -- to "european journal." welcome to brussels. good to have you with us. denmark -- why a community has banned smoking breaks. france -- why the protests against same-sex marriage are not exciting. poland -- why the country's most famous shipyard is in trouble. dissemble and turkey is --

istanbul in turkey is a divided city. the divisions go much further than just geography, and they may be affecting turkish society as a whole. that has become clear in recent days with the heavy clashes between security forces and protesters that have spread over the whole country. initially, it was about protecting a green space in an istanbul part. people took to the green streets to protest against the city's plans to cut down trees to make way for a new shopping mall. it was a peaceful protest at first until the authorities reacted with brutal force. now turkey is seeing the biggest mass protests against the policies of the prime minister in recent times. >> every day since this past weekend, he has taken the subway to istanbul where the square has become a center of a protest that has meanwhile

spread to cities across turkey. he is a longtime leftist and activist. in the early 1980's, he was forced to leave turkey for germany after the military coup. >> as you can see, it is like a public festival, and there are all sorts of people here -- young and old, women with head scarves, and women without them. how can he say these people here are nothing but extremists? that is just a smear tactic, nothing but slander. >> he also bears a personal grudge against the prime minister. he is turki's best known sculptor. his sculpture adores the banking district -- adorns the banking district. he was commissioned to create a 35-meter-high statue of humanity, but then the prime minister paid the city a visit. >> in a part of the country that suffered from constant war, i

wanted to build a monument to understanding. it was two people facing one another and visible from afar. when it was finished, the two figures were going to join into one. they had all the necessary permits, but one day, the prime minister came for a visit and declared the statue a freak and ordered it demolished. >> many istanbul residence say the square is another example of government arbitrariness and abuse. city authorities had planned to redevelop the square. hundreds of trees were to be felled to make way for the restoration of the military barracks from the ottoman era, which would house a shopping mall. the protests began a week ago as a sit-in. this human rights activist was there from the start. >> the government is

redeveloping all the regional districts and squares in the city. they are doing whatever they want. that is what we are protesting here. meanwhile, this protest is also about more. the government is trying to force us to adopt their way of life. this is also a struggle for democracy. >> the trees have been saved for now, but just a few meters away, work continues on what critics say is another example of ruthless development. the residents, most of them kurds and roma, were forced to move. opponents of the project say the prime minister is also directly involved. his son-in-law's companies profiting from the project. >> just imagine, you wake up one morning, and your house and your

entire district where you were born and raised have been sold to a building company. where else could something like that happen but here? emma but the turkish economy has been booming under the prime minister, and that is also why he still has many supporters. >> i work here. i think we improved the district. >> but these authoritarian tactics will turn the entire district into a powder keg. >> but look at what the protesters are doing -- there have been fires everywhere. they broke the windows of my friend's shot over there. >> traces of this violence are everywhere around the square, but most of the demonstrators want peaceful protests. right now, they are preparing for another onslaught of water hoses and tear gas on the part of the police. more than 1000 people have been injured, and two have died in

protests across the country. that has only strengthened the resolve of the activists. >> we want a government that is environmentally responsible and that follows the law, if government that helps overcome in justice and allows us more freedom and greater rights. >> a sit-in to save the trees has become a struggle for greater democracy in turkey. as darkness falls, another restless night begins. >> there are some debates that are hard to forget, and the debate about the smoking ban in europe is one of them. in 2009, the eu countries decided to tighten their laws to better protect people from passive smoking. non-smokers and doctors were delighted, of course, but club owners feared they would have to close down, and others feared states cannot afford losing all the tax money from cigarette taxes, but still, the laws were implemented in most countries,

and today, even smokers find it hard to believe that not so long ago, you could have a fag in the office or on a train or in a restaurant. when countries particularly strict. -- one country is particularly strict. the danish queen is notorious for her love of cigarettes and used to light up as many as 60 today, but even she has quit -- at least in public. she knows that in her country, the habit is frowned upon. one city has now even bans cigarette breaks. >> another long, deep drag on his cigarettes. he takes his time with a last smoke before his workday begins. he has worked for a year for the city, but smoking in supporters who has been prohibited for some time. now the city has imposed a total smoking ban on its employees.

even the smoking areas are gone. the entire working day is smoke- free by order of the council. >> the ban imposed means i cannot even smoke on my brakes. my employer is basically deciding what i can do on my break. i can go to the barber. i can go to the supermarket or for a walk in the park, but i cannot smoke. >> this 42 year-old also has to get through the next eight hours cold turkey. he is one of 25,000 employees in denmark's second largest city. he works for the parks department, so he spends the day in the open air. today, he is changing the sand at a daycare center, but during the workday, city employees are not even allowed a puff out side. >> it would be nice to have a

smoke. i'm about to go on brake. maybe i will risk having won on the sly. >> this is the first danish city to introduce a universal ban based on the principle that employers may not support any activity harmful to workers' health. city employees are paid by the taxpayer, and tax money cannot be used for smoking breaks. among those enforcing the ban is the son of a famous german radical student leader. he is the junior director of the health department and stands behind the band. >> smoking may be a private matter, but at work, you work. it is not time to smoke. it is time to work. >> experts agree. the legal basis for the ban is watertight.

the danish welfare state has a long history of regulating what would be defined elsewhere as a citizens' private choice. here it is part of the philosophy of ensuring a safe and healthy life from cradle to grave. >> our welfare state offers its citizens lots of benefits and support. by the same token, the state that takes care of us also demands something from the individual in return. >> indeed, the citizens have not shown any real opposition to the smoking ban. many see it as correct and natural for the city to protect the health of its employees. >> i have no problem with employers deciding to ban smoking during working hours. after all, they pay the salaries. even during the break times. >> i have lost two sisters to smoking -- one from cancer and the others from smoker's lung,

so i think it is ok. >> i don't smoke myself, so i can live with the ban, but i think people ought to be able to smoke as long as they do not do it i enclosed spaces. >> all danes subscribe to the philosophy. >> i am used to smoking while i work. i have always done that. now, all of a sudden, it is different. i think the city is going to far. what next? i will not be allowed to be fat? i do not know where this is taking us. >> nothing like that will happen. we would set them only in cases where an employee could not do a job. if, for instance, a care giver was so overweight that they could not help a patient get out

of bed. then we would have to make recommendations on healthy eating, but that would be about all. >> around 4:00 in the afternoon, he makes his last round before locking up. it is the end of a long day of withdrawal. he takes a deep drag on his first cigarette of the evening. then, he says, he will down a juicy, greasy hamburger. it may not be healthy, but there is no one to stop him. >> the french are famous for their love of strikes and demonstrations. mass rallies can be held for or against almost anything you could possibly imagine, but what is happening at the moment is unheard of, even in france. for months now, there have been regular demonstrations with hundreds of thousands of participants protesting against same-sex marriage, and above all, against the right of gay and lesbian couples to adopt children. the protests are few tile, you

would think, because the law enabling same-sex marriage has already gone into force. it was one of the big election promises of the french president, but the protests just will not subside, and it is increasingly being hijacked by right-wing extremist groups. it appears the gay community finds that extremely troubling. >> this neighborhood of paris is home to an extensive gay community, and tonight, it is the scene of widespread jubilation. the first same-sex weddings in french history is being broadcast live on television. some are following the nuptials on their smartphones. the ceremony is over in minutes, but its impact as long term. >> we still have to justify ourselves. we have been attacked many times in recent months and are facing an aggressive climate, even if

this is a trial. i hope i will be able to marry in the near future, but still, homophobia in france is back to where it was 20 years ago. >> they are all too aware of the openly homophobic propaganda now surfacing across the country. >> i am proud to be french. proud to have been part of the fight for same-sex marriage. i am lost for words. >> just how divisive the issue is in french society only became apparent recently. this year's film festival in can saw a lesbian love story scoop the top prize -- this year's film festival in cannes. "blue is the warmest color" is a product of the more liberal side of french culture.

that same day, an estimated 150,000 anti-gay marriage protesters from across the country descended on paris. families came in specially chartered buses. catholics skits and services. conservative politicians marched with militant groups. while largely peaceful, by evening, violence broke out. by police arrested more than 200 protesters. known by her stage name, this cabaret performer has become a figurehead of the anti-gay marriage movement and spearheaded the demonstration. protesters' placards focused on the traditionally male and female family unit. they say they are determined to protect that unit, a point generally shared by french conservatives. >> marriage is the basis for reproduction and for our future.

opening it up would mean giving two people of the same gender the chance to have children, which is not possible by natural means. the only other option would be to challenge human nature. >> the movement of the protests those who do not conform to their idea of the traditional family. they claim to march in the interests of the younger generation while stigmatizing all children born or raised in alternative family units. >> there is a phenomenon called moral panic where in the wake of globalization, society is extremely sensitive to symbolic changes. gay marriage has disrupted that symbolic social order. france is a paradox. it is becoming increasingly conservative, while it is the socialists who are in power. >> and there is an increasingly radical element to the movement.

fundamentalist christians allied with right wing nationalists and other violent extremists. the result is a confederacy of reactionary forces. the protesters feel alienated by mainstream parties, especially the policies of prime minister francois hollande. this is a radical movement of will use all means necessary to maintain resistance. among the more extreme splinter groups comprising the movement is french spring. >> the political landscape is realigning itself, and that does not just mean existing parties. the same-sex marriage law is too much. it revealed the malaise in society. our movement is about the france i love.

people who are orderly and who pay their taxes. but who are not happy with the changes that are now being forced upon us. >> she and fellow activists are out doing the right wing party. it remains to be seen if their popularity perseveres. the french revolution promised equality for all, and despite the up position, a clear majority of french people are in favor of the principal and same- sex marriage. >> the fall of the berlin wall in autumn 1989 is often seen as the milestone in the end of the cold war, but at that point, the soviet bloc was already disintegrating. in many parts, protest groups have formed against the communist system. in poland, for example. in the early 1980's, workers in the shipyard in the city of gdansk staged a large strike, and that was what set the ball

rolling and what ushered in the beginning of the end of the soviet union. today, the shipyard is still running, but only just, and workers are on strike again. the owner of poland's 1 times symbol of national pride has run out of money. >> a giant before the fall, the famous gdansk shipyard is in trouble. workers were the first to feel the effects. the shipyard posing a operator ran out of money to pay wages. the company paid out back wages for april 3 weeks late. it is an unsettled atmosphere, and people are reluctant to talk. but finally, we do meet someone willing to speak with us about the uncertainty. for weeks now, rumors have been circulating that the shipyard is bankrupt. >> we no longer live week to

week. now it is day-to-day. we do not know if the company will file for bankruptcy. it is terrible for my family. my son also works here. our wages were late, and now, we are overdrawn at the bank. 75% of our family's income has just disappeared. >> the dance is more than a shipyard. it is an emblem. it is the birthplace of the solidarity trade union movement. in 1980, shipyard workers went on strike, and it spread to the rest of the country. they forced the communist government to its knees. on august 31, 1980, the stunning announcement -- the people's republic of poland granted official recognition. finally, they told the assembled crowd that they have a right to a free, independent, self-

governing union, and they have the right to strike. the only independent trade union in the east bloc soon had more than 10 million members. it became a mass movement, shaking the regime to its foundation. for communism, it was the beginning of the end. today, it is a shadow of its former self. only 1 million members remain, and the union has little political clout. longtime supporters like this 33-year member feel betrayed. >> we went on strike in 1980 to improve our lives. some of us are doing much better today, but only a few. ordinary workers are just trampled underfoot. as you can see, it is completely legal to just not pay our wages. it is not a crime, and that hurts. >> robert was just 16 years old in 1980.

he is also a union member. we accompany him to his home at side gdansk. his family is struggling to cope with the constant worry that the shipyard will go bankrupt. she works in an orphanage. she gets a regular wage, but it is only 275 euros, and that is not enough for the family to live on. >> we are all worried and tense. what will happen if we cannot pay our bills? the uncertainty is the worst. we do not know if and when my husband and my son will get paid. sometimes i cannot sleep at night. >> company billboards are still touting the working conditions at the shipyard. in the golden years, about 17,000 people work here. today, about 2000 remain. when it comes to working conditions, they have a different story to tell. for the past six months, they have been getting their wages in installments.

after the fall of communism, the shipyard, once famous as the cradle of solidarity, began to falter. orders declined. the loss was so severe that the shipyard was forced to sell some of its production facilities. in 2007, a new investor came on board and promised to return the shipyard to its former glory. a ukrainian businessmen whose fortune is estimated at 1.5 billion euros. he purchased 75% of the shares. the state remained the minority shareholder, but the new orders failed to materialize. and now the company is asking the state to step in once again. the last time it did, it sold the waterfront section of the iconic seven cranes, once the shipyard's calling card. the birthplace of solidarity still has a symbolic importance

here. a history that the ukrainian investors might well be counting on, but weeks of shareholder negotiations yielded little but rumors. ukrainians are said to be demanding more aid than the polish government can give. >> we could go bankrupt. it is a serious situation. 2000 people could lose their jobs, but let me be clear -- both parties have the means to save the shipyard, but both have to want it. the shipyard will only survive if our financial plan is approved. >> but the state, which has no voice on the board, refuses to be blackmailed. >> there's no way we can offer another bailout. we already gave almost 40 million euros to the shipyard in 2009. the european union only allows the state to use tax money for

aid once every 10 years. it has not been 10 years yet, said the state cannot and will not step in. >> with local unemployment more than 14%, he knows that at his age, he will have a hard time finding new work. >> i could look for a job abroad, but i do not want to. i do not want to leave my wife alone, and what kind of life is that, living abroad, separated from your family, sending money back home? that is not the answer. money cannot replace everything. >> bankruptcy or bailout -- whatever happens, the workers of the shipyard will be among the last to learn what the future holds. >> we will be keeping you up to date here on deutsche welle, of course. that is it today, for the "european journal" team. from all of us here in brussels,

thanks very much for watching. join us next time if you can. until then, auf wiedersehen and bye for now. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--

>> from pacifica, this is democracy now! >> great harm has already been done by opening this up. the consequence, i believe, is our security is jeopardized. general chief alexander talks about the privacy of americans. as big two former military instructor christopher pyle who exposed, the cia was monitorin