Protests launched by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) against the usurpation of 3 metropolitan municipalities continue on day 9. The Diyarbakır municipality has been surrounded by police barricades after the trustee took over, and protests have continued on the Lise Avenue that leads to the Elazig Avenue the municipality building is on.

 

Today’s protests started in the morning with women singing at a sit-in. Co-mayor Selcuk Mizrakli, HDP MPs and co-mayors as well as a large group of citizens were present in the protest, and were joined by Kurdistan Socialist Party (PSK) Leader Mesud Tek and Dersim Mayor Fatih Mehmet Macoglu.

 

CITIZENS MARCH CHANTING “HANDS OFF OUR WILL”

 

The sit-in continued as DISK Chairperson Arzu Cerkezoglu, KESK Co-chair Mehmet Bozgeyik, TTB Central Council Chairperson Rasit Tukel, TMMOB Second Chair Selcuk Uluata and trade union representatives and members gathered on Lise Avenue and marched to the sit-in. The professional organization representatives marched chanting slogans against trustees and fascism and were greeted by applause.

 

CERKEZOGLU: DEFENDING DIYARBAKIR IS DEFENDING TURKEY

 

DISK Chairperson Arzu Cerkezoglu said, “The most fundamental rule in a democracy is to respect the right to vote and be elected, and the will of the people. In a country where the will of the people is confiscated this clearly, there is no guarantee to any right. The target of this coup is the presence of millions of people who refuse to give in to fascism and oppression. The will the peoples of Turkey have put forth was manifest in the March 31 and June 23 local elections.”

 

Cerkezoglu said the AKP has implemented trustee policies to continue their hold on power: “Defending Diyarbakir, Van and Mardin is to defend Turkey, defend our homeland. We are here to express our solidarity with the people of Diyarbakir. We have seen the trustee process before. The result of confiscating the will of the Kurdish people will be unemployment. Colleagues are being fired from municipalities. The result of the usurpation of the people’s will is robbery and theft. They have been convicted in the hearts of Turkey.”

 

MACOGLU: “WE MUST FIGHT TOGETHER”

 

Dersim Mayor Fatih Mehmet Macoglu stressed that the peoples must fight together against the trustee and said: “All peoples must come together, workers, the oppressed, the labor front will come together and overcome this. We know that the youth and women in the country will prevail as they come together. Even if we weren’t here, our hearts have been with Diyarbakir, Van and Mardin for the last 9 days. Our hearts will continue to be here.”

 

The representatives held a sit-in after the statements. The crowd chanted slogans and ended the protest for today after the sit-in.