Police Intervention on Republic Day Celebrations

Riot Police Forces in Denizli intervened against members of the Kemalist Concepts Association (ADD) and Education and Science Workers Union (Eğitim-İş) who were officially excluded from the Republic Day celebrations by the Denizli Governor's Office.

As reported by Deniz Haber newspaper, it was the stolidity of the Governor's Office that cast a shadow on the ceremony; people reacted with booing to the police intervention.

Riot police intervened

ADD, the Contemporary Life Support Association (ÇYDD) and the Eğitim İş Branch have participated in the annual parade for years. However, this year the Provincial Celebration Committee as part of the Governor's Office refused to issue permission to the organizations to participate in the procession.

According to Deniz Haber daily, since no reason for this year's rejection had been announced, about 250 people from ADD and Eğitim İş gathered on the central Çınar Place half an hour before the start of the parade, which was scheduled for 10.00 am on the Republic Day. Provincial Chairmen and administrators of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Democratic Left Party (DSP) and Labour Party (İP) participated in the event.

The daily reports that the talks between police authorities and association managers went on till 12.30 pm and did not yield any results. Later on riot police forces entered Çınar square for an intervention, accompanied by protests from the crowd. CHP Denizli MP Ali Rıza Ertemur and Denizli Bar Association President Adil Demir stepped in but could not ease the situation.

The police forces gave a last warning to empty the square in order to let the parade continue. When the crowd did not show a reaction, the police forces started to intervene and faced ongoing resistance from the crowd.

Crowed booed at AKP municipality staff

Prior to the intervention the riot police forces tried to remove a group of people with linked arms sitting on the square and were protested by the people around. Eğitim İş Branch Denizli Chairman Osman Kandemir, DSP provincial chairman Mustafa Değirmenci and CHP executives were among the demonstrators arrested and forced into riot police buses.

After the police had removed the group from the passage way, the association members previously forced into the buses were released. When the parade was stared again, people booed at the AKP municipality staff walking in front of the group and shouted slogans such as "resign, AKP".

Governor Yavuz Erkmen explained that permission for some non-governmental organizations had been denied because of the perception that some people and groups would mingle with the NGOs and disturb the parade with provocations. The governor added that by disregarding the warnings they inflicted damage on themselves.

"We do not permit provocative action"

ADD President Gülizar Biçer Karaca criticized that some media institutions distorted the coverage of the event, "The riot forces prevented our members to stay at the place where we celebrate this ceremony for years together with their children to enjoy the public holiday".

Bar Association president Demir talked to Deniz Haber about governor Erkmen mentioning provocative action during the event, "There was no provocative action in the meetin place. It would not be poosible since we would not allow such a behaviour".