Police attack "No war – peace right now" demo in Istanbul


Under the slogan "No war - peace right now", a demonstration was staged in Istanbul on Sunday against the Turkish invasion of Southern Kurdistan. Several people were detained on the fringes of the demonstration.

ANF
ISTANBUL
Sunday, 22 May 2022,

In the western Turkish metropolis of Istanbul, hundreds of people took to the streets on Sunday in protest against the invasion of southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). The demonstration was called by an alliance of women's groups and various parties united under the umbrella of the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party).

"No war - peace now" was the slogan of the event, which began at the Tünel funicular stop in the central Beyoğlu district and continued along the Istiklal Avenue. Among the participants were especially many activists of the Free Women's Movement (TJA) and the Peace Mothers Initiative, as well as HDP deputies Sezai Temelli and Nejdet İpekyüz, DBP co-chair Keskin Bayındır, ESP leader Şahin Tümüklü and the HDK spokesman Cengiz Çiçek.

Police forces stopped the demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy. "War means death and leads to the impoverishment of entire societies. We call on the public and especially the political leadership in South Kurdistan to stand on the side of peace," Sezai Temelli said in the police encirclement. The crowd responded to attempts by security forces to stop the deputy's speech with slogans. Among other things, they shouted: "The tide will turn - The AKP will be accountable".

The activists demonstrated their solidarity with the Kurdish guerrillas by chanting "Long live the resistance in the Zap" or "Long live the struggle in Avaşîn" and dispersed in groups to several side streets, where the protest continued. Police assaults occurred at several points, and an unknown number of activists were taken into custody. Police detained some other people on İstiklal Avenue as well. Among those taken into custody are ESP Chairman Şahin Tümüklü and lawyer Veysi Eski, who is organized in the Libertarian Lawyers' Association (ÖHD). Meanwhile, the nearby headquarters of the Istanbul provincial association of the HDP is under siege by police.