Police intervene in HDP gathering in İstanbul, detain several people

Photo: Evrensel

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The police yesterday (June 18) intervened in a Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) gathering in İstanbul as part of the party's march from the country's northwest and southeast to its capital, Ankara, in protest of the dismissal of its MPs.

The gathering was held amid heavy police presence as security forces were deployed on the streets in Beşiktaş district and checked the IDs of people coming to the event.

Photo: MA

After the end of the event in Abbasağa Park, party members began to disperse, chanting slogans. That was when the police intervention began as five people were detained according to Mesopotamia Agency.

A video posted on Twitter showed that a demonstrator was yelling, "Don't push, I can't breathe, my chest hurts," as a police officer got him on the ground.

HDP’nin , "Demokrasi yürüyüşü" kapsamında Beşiktaş'ta gerçekleştirdiği halk buluşma sonrası sloganlarla dağılan gençlere polis saldırdı.

Gözaltına alınan gençlerden biri polise “Basma basma nefes alamıyorum" dediği kameralara yansıdı.. pic.twitter.com/YfIShWptiS

— Özgür Gündem (@OzgurrGundem) June 18, 2020

Representatives from several organizations, including the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), Halkevler, the Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions (KESK) and the Labor Party (EMEP) also attended the meeting.

During the event, HDP İstanbul Co-Chair said that the march was "against the darkness" while HDP Women's Assembly Spokesersn Ayşe Acar Başaran remarked that they began the journey for "a democratic constitution."

Cevher Efe Çelik from the TMMOB said, "While we are busy dealing with economic and social problems because of the pandemic, the government is busy with interfering with democracy."

(EKN/VK)