Attempted attack on İYİ Party leader Akşener in Sivas

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Several people attempted to attack İYİ (Good) Party Chair Meral Akşener during a visit to Sivas, central Turkey yesterday (August 10).

After visiting shopkeepers in Zara district, Akşener gave a speech in the town square. About accusations against her that she is a member of the "Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ)," an Islamic group held responsible for the 2016 coup attempt, she said, "If I'm FETÖ, do what is necessary. But I know who is who in this country."

At that point, a person named Mustafa Etiş said Akşener should resign because her party was able to compete in the 2018 elections only because it transferred 15 MPs from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

Meral Akşener'e Sivas'ta saldırı girişimihttps://t.co/IChQLptj5q pic.twitter.com/Vqs1wuCQF8

— T24 (@t24comtr) August 10, 2021

"You didn't enter [the parliament] with votes. If you talk about fairness, you should resign," said the man. He denied that people in Turkey have financial difficulties and claimed that Akşener is a member of FETÖ.

Meanwhile, a quarrel broke out between the party members and the people around. Police removed the people from the area.

In May, a group of people in Rize, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's hometown, attempted to attack Akşener. Erdoğan had praised the attackers and said, "This is only the first one, many more things will happen."

The İYİ Party is a splinter movement of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), an ally of the government. It is allied with the CHP. (EMK/VK)