Police Intervention against Ankara Protest in Beyazıt

DİSK, KESK, TTB and TMMOB gathered with "We know the murderer" banners in Sirkeci and Cerrahpaşa in İstanbul for march and press release against massacre in Ankara that claimed 97 lives.

İstanbul Governorate had announced the protest was not "appropriate," but the organizers of the protest had declared that their schedule for march and press release didn't change.

The intervention began with police attack against people and detainment of four people trying to cross to Sirkeci from Kadıköy to attend the protest. In the morning at around 10:30 a.m., people set up barricade against people starting to gather in front of Sirkeci Station and Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty. They voiced their demand for the barricade to be removed by the governorate. Speeches and sit-in act were made. Police attacked on the ones who who were helding a sit-in in Cerrahpaşa. In the protest which people chanted "Government and governor resign immediately," groups ended the protest as the barricade is not removed with chants "Murderer state will account" at around 12:15 p.m.

"We know the murderer"

Many people including TMMOB and DİSK administrators, People's Republican Party (CHP) deputy Mahmut Tanal and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputies Hüda Kaya, Sezai Temelli gathered in Sirkeci.

Süleyman Korkmaz from TMMOB reminded of the officials' statement "There was no security weakness" and said the following:

"If security measures were taken, then why did our 97 friends die? We conveyed our demand again. They put forward security matters. If Beyazıt square is not safe, then where in this city can we feel safe? We ask the governorate: Where is safe? Governorate garden?"

CHP deputy Mahmut Tanal called police "Don't be a party in these massacres, be people's police."

HDP deputy Hüda Kaya said, "Our people saying we will not make you fight
are trying to be presented as terrorist. We will not let them hide the truth. We will realize peace. You thieves, tyrants, terrorists, we will bring you to account."

Sit-in act

After the speeches, the groups in Sirkeci and Cerrahpaşa started a sit-in act. They ended the act as the police barricade wasn't removed. 

Police intervention in Cerrahpaşa

Those who gathered in Cerrahpaşa met with police barricade. There were HDP İstanbul deputy Beyza Üstün, Garo Paylan, and Ali Kenanoğlu too among the protesters. The sit-in act began because of the police barricade in Cerrahpaşa.

Police attacked on sit-in holders.

The governorate had sait it was not going to permit

İstanbul Governorate had announced that this route and location are heavily used, and the march and gathering that is not on the area set by governorate is not found appropriate.

KESK Chair Lami Özgen speaking to bianet had called to security officials and governorate, "Abandon this unnecessary stance and attitude, but on the contrary do whatever you can to help these people who are already in grave pain express their own sufferings." (BK/ÇT/TK)

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