Police Attack Feminist Night March With Pepper Gas

* Photos and videos: Hikmet Adal, Evrim Kepenek

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

After women announced that they would gather in front of French Cultural Center in Taksim, İstanbul at 7.30 p.m for the 17th Feminist Night March, the police closed all roads leading to the İstiklal Avenue.

Though all side streets leading to the İstiklal Avenue, where the march would take place, were closed by police barricades, women could still gather at Taksim Square and reach the French Cultural Center.

As of 8.50 p.m., police have attacked the women with pepper gas.

The hour-by-hour developments were as follows:

At 9.30 p.m.: Since the police did not allow the 17th Feminist Night March to be held along the İstiklal Avenue and attacked the women with pepper gas, the statement for the press could not be held. The statement was sent to the press in written form. Gathering in the Mis Street and other side streets leading to the İstiklal Avenue, women continued their protests there.

CLICK - 'March 8 Cannot Be Banned'

At 9.00 p.m.: After the police attacked the crowd with pepper gas, the İsiklal Avenue became empty. Women continued protesting by blowing whistles and chanting slogans in the side streets of Taksim.

At 8. 50 p.m.: The police attacked the group with pepper gas. Police officers made the following announcement:

"I am calling to the group in İstiklal Avenue. Disperse in the direction of Sıraselviler Steet. Otherwise, an intervention will be made."

8.20 p.m.: The women whose entry to the İstiklal Avenue were still not allowed chanted the slogan "Open, open, open" to the police. 

7.50 p.m.: The crowd continued growing in the direction of Taksim Square since the police did not let women march along the İstiklal Avenue.

7.45 p.m.: The police put up barricades near the French Cultural Center. They did not let women proceed further along the İstiklal Avenue.

7.30 p.m.: The crowd grew further. Women chanted the slogan, "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" (Woman, World, Freedom in Kurdish).

7.20 p.m.: Women said, "We don't hush, we don't fear, we don't obey."

7 p.m.: Women started to gather in front of the French Cultural Center.

6.50 p.m.: Women started to pass from Taksim Square towards the French Cultural Center, where they would start their march.

6.20 p.m.:  Women started to gather in front of French Cultural Center. The statement for the press attempted to be held by a small number of women was prevented by the police.

6.10 p.m.: Speaking to bianet, a police officer stated that the march from the French Cultural Center to the Tünel Square would not be allowed.

Police officers placed barricades in the direction of İstiklal Avenue at Taksim Square. As of noon hours, the streets leading to the İstiklal Avenue started to be closed by the police.

In the afternoon, İstiklal Avenue and its vicinity were closed to vehicle traffic. The vehicles attempting to go towards Galatasaray Square, which is located between Taksim and Tünel Squares, were directed towards Tophane.

After the roads were closed to vehicle traffic, the pedestrians trying to reach the avenue via side streets were prevented from entering the İstiklal.

Several riot police officers and Anti-Riot Water Cannon Vehicles (TOMA) were positioned between Tünel and Taksim Squares, that is, all through the İstiklal Avenue. As of 5.30 p.m., police officers started to order the pedestrians to leave the İstiklal Avenue.

 (HA/SD)