President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the "15 July Martyrs' Memorial" on İstanbul’s 15 July Martyrs Bridge, formerly known as the Bosphorus Bridge, which was renamed following the coup attempt.
In his address, Erdoğan expressed gratitude to those who resisted the coup: “I want to thank everyone who took to the streets to resist the traitors without waiting for our call. The 15 July Martyrs Bridge, where the coup attempt began, is a place where a true heroism story was written.
“That night, 34 of our citizens, including two police officers, were martyred on this bridge. We witnessed the treacherous and savage face of the coup plotters through their acts here. We will never forget those scenes etched into our memories.”
Erdoğan also criticized those who downplay the coup attempt, saying, “We will never forgive those who call 15 July a staged event or a sham fight. This nation will continue to thwart any game that threatens its independence.”
Özel recounts the night of July 15
Özgür Özel, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), recounted his experiences on the night of the coup attempt in an interview with Sözcü columnist Saygı Öztürk. Özel was among about 100 lawmakers present in the parliament when it was bombed by the coup plotters.
Özel shared how he tried to comprehend the situation upon hearing reports of jets over Ankara and speculations about ISIS hijacking F-16s. Realizing it was a coup attempt, he called on CHP members to convene at the party headquarters. After discussing the situation, Özel emphasized the need to go to the parliament, arguing that coups typically aim to shut it down.
Upon reaching the parliament, Özel described how the CHP lawmakers encountered no resistance from soldiers at the entrance. They were welcomed by Speaker of the Parliament İsmail Kahraman, who acknowledged their presence with a warm embrace and declared the extraordinary session they had convened. (VK)