Women to Have Picnic with ‘Whatever They Want to Wear’ at Maçka Park

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Coming together with the “Don't Mess With My Outfit” slogan, the women will have a picnic at Maçka Park in İstanbul on Sunday.

Being subjected to harassment by a Maçka Park’s private security officer last weekend, Çağla Köse called on women to have a picnic with “whatever they want to wear”. “Let us meet at Maçla Park with our picnic, forum, songs”, Köse said.

Picnic, forum and music on Sunday

Maçka Women’s Rally will take start with the picnic at 3 p.m. on August 6, Sunday. The participants are asked to bring their food and picnic clothes.

A women’s forum will be organized at 5 p.m. Issues of women and government’s interference in life style will be discussed.

At 8 p.m., songs will be sung with the participation of artists.

“Muftis cannot interfere in our lives”

Rojda Aslan asked about the reason of granting muftis the authority to marry off in the statement for the press.

“We haven’t allowed assaults against life styles of women such as Ayşegül (Terzi) and Çağla (Köse). And now, we will not allow the draft on population that abolishes secularism”.

They also invited musician Gülşah Erol, who was subjected to violence by a security officer at Kadıköy Metro station, to the picnic with her cello.

What happened?

Women organized a march with the “Don't Mess With My Outfit” slogan in Kadıköy district in İstanbul on July 29.

On the same day, Savaş İ., a security officer at Maçka Park, harassed Çağla Köse telling her that she can’t wander in the park with the clothes she wore. The harasser security officer also called the police.

Upon the reaction by the woman and the people around, the harasser security officer left the scene.

Following this incident, another Don't Interfere in the Way I Dress demonstration was staged, this time at Maçka Park on July 30.

Çağla Köse filed a complaint against Savaş İ. pressing charge of “Intervening in one’s preferences concerning his or her life style by using violence”. (ÇT/TK)