Turkey: Anti-Nato Protests Continue in the Face of Repression
Featured image: Hundreds protested against NATO in Istanbul. Source: Yeni Demokrasi
Protest in Istanbul
On July 5th a protest called by the “No to NATO! Coordination” gathered hundreds to take to the streets of Kadıköy, Istanbul, opposing the NATO Ankara Summit scheduled to take place July 7-8th.
Partizan participated carrying a banner of the Anti-Imperialist League (AIL) with the slogan ‘Anti-Imperialists of the World, Unite!’ and placards that said ‘Imperialism is a Paper Tiger,’ ‘Organize and Struggle Against Imperialism,’ and ‘Freedom for Prisoners Resisting NATO.’ . Partizan readers chanted slogans such as ‘Long Live the People’s War Against Imperialism,’ ‘Our Leader Ibrahim Kaypakkaya,’ and ‘Freedom for Prisoners Resisting NATO’.
In the march multiple banners, signs and slogans showed the combativeness and hatred against NATO and against the repression of activists and organizations. Slogans such as ‘Detentions, arrests, and oppression cannot intimidate us.’, ‘Murderer USA, get out of the Middle East,’ ‘Imperialists, collaborators, don’t forget the 6th Fleet,’ and ‘Imperialism will be defeated, resisting peoples will win,’ , were expressed.
The protest marched to the Eminönü Ferry Terminal where several speeches were presented. After which there was a joint singing of “Bella Ciao” and final slogans.
Repression against protesters and activists
On July 4th Police raided the AKA-DER organization’s branch in Ankara, and seven readers of the Kaldıraç magazine were taken into custody. In Hatay during house raids six more Kaldıraç readers were detained.
On July 5h Yeni Demokrasi reported extensive crackdowns on anti-NATO forces, with numerous detentions and arrests across at least 12 provinces. House raids in in İzmir, Antalya, Adana, Ankara, Çanakkale, Siirt, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Eskişehir, Urfa, Istanbul, Kocaeli, and Dersim led to the arrest of individuals and representatives of various different organizations, including readers of the Partizan newspaper, journalists, union activists, and members of youth organizations, and parliamentary Parties.
Witnesses statements indicate that there were violent assaults during the operations. Overall, the operations have resulted in over 100 detentions, raising concerns about the suppression of dissent and the treatment of activists in Turkey.
