Police attack women’s march with tear gas, rubber bullets in İstanbul

Photos: Evrim Kepenek/bianet

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Women are on the streets against male violence to mark November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Upon a call from the November 25 Women's Platform, women and LGBTI+s gathered on Tunnel Square in Taksim, İstanbul.

Despite a police blockade, hundreds of women gathered in Taksim, displaying a banner that reads, "Our revolt against the violence of the male state is not over but is growing. Our hope and our strength are in each other."

The crowd is chanting slogans, "Deniz Poyraz is immortal," "Jin, jiyan, azadi," (women, life and freedom in Kurdish), and "Homosexuals exist!"

Police blocked all streets leading to İstiklal Avenue.

Barricades

While women want to march to as far as Galatasaray High School, police, who have set up barricades in front of the Consulate of Sweden, say they will not allow the women further than Odakule business center. The organizers committee are in talks with the police.

Police shoot rubber bullets

As women tried to push back the barricades, police attacked them, using tear gas and rubbet bullets.

Statement for the press

Statement for the press

Making a statement for the press while being under attack by the police, women said, "November 25 can't be prevented and banned."

"Today, we gathered here to grow our struggle with the power we get from each other. Today, we gathered to defend our lives, not to lose one more person. There are no barricades that can prevent our revolt and hope.

"Against the violence of the male state, against patriarchy, against poverty, unemployment, war, unlawfulness, impunity and discrimination, against massacres of women and trans murders that happen every day, were are here, on the streets, again.

"The state, which backs perpetrators by pulling out of the İstanbul Convention, is trying to prevent us.

"Don't prevent Novmber 25, prevent the killers of Başak Cengiz, who thought 'she couldn't resist because she is a woman.'

"Prevent systematic male violence, which forces Çilem, Öznur, Nevin and Melek to kill for not to be killed.

"Prevent those who carry out strip search, which is sexual violence.

"Stop hate speech, prevent homophobia and transphobia.

"Prevent racist discourse against refugees, labor exploitation and sexual abuse.

"We won't be those who are prevented; it is up to us to establish a world where we will prevent those who imposed this ban, who feed male violence. Our strength is in each other.

"Our revolt against male violence is not over but growing."

Susmuyoruz, korkmuyoruz, itaat etmiyoruz #25KasımdaTaksimdeyiz pic.twitter.com/vRrZ7esCOl

— 25 Kasım Kadın Platformu (@25kasimkadin) November 25, 2021

Updates to follow...