From CHP to Erdoğan: Street is a Right, Street is Liberty

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Group Deputy Chairperson of the main opposition party Republican People's Party (CHP) Engin Altay has responded to the threatening statements of President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regarding CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu:

"The fear of the street, the paranoia of the street, the syndrome of the street have been haunting Erdoğan. The nightmare of Gezi (Park protests) and Kılıçdaroğlu has harmed his mental health."

Holding a statement for the press at the Parliament, Altay has said:

"A person terrorizing everyone taking to streets is vile"

"A person who makes a call to the terror, terrorists, terrorist organization to take to the streets is a vile coward.

"However, the ones who terrorize everyone taking to the streets for their rights, law and justice and to use their most democratic constitutional demands are equally vile and coward.

"Taking to streets cannot be criminalized"

"Looking to polarization, Erdoğan will surely take the necessary lesson from the nation on March 31, 2019 (when local elections are to be held in Turkey).

"But, terrorizing and criminalizing the people who take to the streets and referring to them as if they were revolting against the state do not have a place in normal democracies.

"Dictators are afraid of the street"

"Street is a right, street is liberty. Dictators are afraid of the street. It is not for nothing that we say, 'Erdoğan is a dictator.'

"If a leader, who perceives democracy as submission and obedience to himself, leads a country, then, it is normal that this leader and the ones around him are afraid of the street.

"It is the power of the street which defeated the July 15 (coup attempt). It is the power of the street that saved him from the FETÖ (Fethullahist Terrorist Organization, which is held responsible for staging the coup attempt)."

What did Erdoğan say?

In a speech that he held yesterday (December 16), President Erdoğan made the following remarks on Kılıçdaroğlu:

"They try to lead the nation to the streets at every opportunity. Look, let me tell you something. A shameless person invites the public to the street, look at this immoral person, the judiciary will surely give the necessary answer.

"Here is not Paris. If you attempt to do something similar to Gezi, if you think that you can work thanks to someone inviting people to the streets on a TV screen, you should know that just as the nation made life unbearable for FETÖ members and their servants on July 15, we will do it again.

"You might have escaped through the tanks and gone to Bakırköy Courthouse on July 15. This time, you cannot find the chance to escape.

"You cannot gain anything by calling the people and unions of this nation to the streets. We will not let that happen. We will do what is necessary."

What did Fatih Portakal say?

President Erdoğan made the above statement in response to the remarks of Fatih Portakal, the anchorperson of Fox TV.

While presenting the news on December 10, Portakal said,

"Here we go, let's protest these price increases, the increases in prices of natural gas with a peaceful protest demonstration. Come on, let's do it. Can we do it? How many people can take to the streets out of fear and concern? Can you please tell me, for God's sake, how many people can take to the streets? They are trying to take the individual and social opposition under pressure, they are trying to intimidate them.

"It is the most natural right, but it cannot be implemented. To be honest, it doesn't make any difference whether it is in France or Turkey."

Statements of Portakal were then reported as "inciting the people to take to the streets" by pro-government news outlets. Several criminal complaints have also been submitted against Portakal over these statements. (EKN/SD)