Protestors gathered in several provinces of Turkey on Nov. 25 evening to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. They were met with heavy police presence and violent crackdown. Several women were detained in the protests.
Thousands marching to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women were met with a police crackdown in several provinces of Turkey. In Istanbul, protestors gathered in front of the underground tunnel (“Taksim Tünel”) near historic İstiklal Avenue as per the call of women organizations.
There was heavy police presence throughout İstiklal Avenue. The Beyoğlu District Governor’s Office had said a day earlier that it banned the protest in question. After the ban, police barricades were set up on the streets leading to Istiklal Avenue.
Women largely protested and chanted against femicide and violence against women, 349 women were killed so far this year in Turkey, according to the advocacy group, We Will Stop Femicide.
The rally was organised by a coalition of women’s groups called the ‘November 25 platform’ and brought hundreds of people on to the streets.
They chanted “Woman, Life, Freedom” in Turkish and Kurdish, taking up the slogan of Iranian women in their struggle against the hardline regime.
‘These streets will be ours again’
Member of the ‘November 25 platform’ Yesim Tukel said, “The police who don’t intervene against the perpetrators of violence against women or the murderers of women, closed all roads leading to Taksim under the excuse of security.”
“We are not afraid of the state violence today,” said fellow activist Burcu Gulcubuk. “We are here saying that we will not bow down and we will not be silenced in face of such a violence.” “One day these police who attack us will go away and these streets will be ours again.”
Authorities have banned similar rallies over the past years, leading to scuffles between police and demonstrators.