November 25 March in Taksim Could Not Be Held, Police Use Tear Gas

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On November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the police have prevented the march in Taksim in İstanbul.

Women, who gathered at Tünel Square in Beyoğlu at 4 p.m. today (November 25) upon the call of the November 25 Platform, were planning to march to the Galatasaray Square with slogans at 5 p.m.

Police blockade in İstiklal Avenue

As of afternoon hours, the district of Beyoğlu was closed by police and barricades. Police officers set up barricades on all roads Bahar Saluğu leading to the İstiklal Avenue, along which the march would be held.

The main road leading to the Galatasaray Square Ayşegül Güneştaş was also closed to traffic and, thereby, the square was blockaded. Police officers did not allow entrance to the Tünel Square as well.

It was seen that a total of four Anti-Riot Water Cannon Vehicles (TOMA) and 10 police busses were located along the İstiklal Avenue as well as in front of the Beyoğlu Municipality and Şişhane.

Police intervened

At around 5 p.m., police officers made an announcement, stating that the march was banned and improper, and prevented women from walking. The police used tear gas on women, who were about to Zümrethen Kutluay begin their march with applause and slogans.

During the intervention of the police, two women were affected by the tear gas and were taken out of the square. The women, who did not disperse despite the intervention of the police, continued chanting slogans.

Upon the intervention Oya Öztürk of the police, the women decided not to read out their statement for the press and stated: "We will not make a statement. They cannot shut us in Tünel (Square). We are everywhere. We will continue making our voices heard on the streets and on social media."

Statement read out in Mis Street

The group that started dispersing from Tünel Square Bedriye Kargı gathered again at the side streets of İstiklal Avenue. The women gathered in the Mis Street and read out their statement for the press there.

The statement for the press was read out by Fulya Dağlı from the November 25 Women's Platform. Here are some of the highlights from the statement:

"Women are subjected to violence everyday"

"Today is actually the day, when we make visible the male violence, which we are faced with everyday, which we endure, resist, keep silent and scream everyday to protect our lives, our minds, our bodies, our labor and our soul, as well as the legitimation and implementation of this violence Karin Ellen Hitzel by the states themselves.

"But women continue being subjected to violence on November 24, on November 25, on November 26... They are subjected to violence at home, on the street, at school, in movie sets, at the courthouse, in the field, at the Parliament... That is why, N.Ö. our struggle is not a single-day struggle, but our struggle is waged everyday and everywhere.

100 thousand incidents of violence in first 7 months

"According to the data, which was rather unwillingly Şükran A. shared by the Ministry of Interior, over one hundred thousand women were subjected to violence throughout 2017 while more than one hundred thousand women were subjected to violence only in the first seven months of this year. Almost 400 of these women have lost their lives.

"Laying claim to our rights becomes a crime"

"Despite all these, we, women, do not have the slightest intention to keep silent Zübeyde Demirbozan or give up our rights, our struggle, our life and each other! We do not care who says what: Nothing will be 'the same' again; because, we know the value of our rights and our lives, because there is the movement of women, the struggle of women and solidarity of women."

After the statement, the police also intervened against women in Mis Street.

(HA-EMK/SD)

* Photographs/ Videos: Hikmet Adal - Evrim Kepenek / bianet