The first “spring” in a majority-Muslim population came 89 years ago in Turkey. As the successor to the Ottomans, the young Turkish republic rose from the heartland of the Empire with an exceptional geography, positioned strategically among Europe, the Caucasus and the Middle East.

Now, 89 years later, despite a vibrant economy and regional clout, Turkey is being threatened by chaos in its neighborhood. But what’s even more critical is the polarization inside the country.

Turks marked the birthday of their nation yesterday, Oct. 29, and they are divided over the direction of their country. More than 40 non-governmental organizations wanted to gather before the first parliament, where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father, declared the establishment of this new state. Among them were associations linked to Kemalist ideology and Alevi groups.

The Ankara governorate turned down permission requests, claiming that they had reliable intelligence that “radical groups” would provoke the crowd to create scenes similar to those in Tahrir Square. Nonetheless, tens of thousands of pro-secular protesters showed civil disobedience to the government’s ban and poured onto the streets to make a point: the 1923 revolution is not dying away.