The purpose of this study is to compare the collective protest perception of people who took the streets protest after 15th July 2016 and the ones who did not and therefore to reveal the meaning built by participation to the protests. Data for this study is gathered from interviews with 11 participants (6 of whom protested and 5 of whom did not after the coup attempt). In this study, interview technique was used as a data collection method and content analysis technique was used for data analysis. During analyses, perceptions of collective action between the participating and non-participating groups in the actions after 15 July were processed within the different frameworks in theoretical approaches which are concept of political trust, social identity and resource mobilization theories. Variations between groups was revealed regarding feelings and thoughts about collective action and the relationship between participating collective action and perceptions of collective action. These variations seemed to influence the emergence of different patterns of motivations for participation.

Key Words: Collective action, July 15, social identity, resource mobility, political trust