In her column, Gülseren Onanç, the Founding Chair of the SES Equality and Solidarity Association, writes about the police repression during the protest, held to mark the international day for the elimination of violence against women in İstanbul.
Gülseren Onanç
On Thursday evening, the paths leading to Istiklal Street were shut with police barricades. The police did not allow those advocating women’s rights to pass. If you told the police that you were going to the pub or buying water, you could enter. But if you said, “I’m going for the march”, you would not get permission. After I was blocked multiple times, insisting that I would go to the march, I started negotiating with the police on my 6th attempt. With the strength of the women next to me, we started an insistent bargain. There were those who said that it was our legal right to join the march and those who said that our struggle would liberate the police. At the end of our discussion, which lasted for fifteen minutes, we were able to join the night march organized by the November 25 Women’s Platform from Tünel.
Istiklal Street closed to freedoms, open to police violence
It has now become a tradition to shut Istiklal Street with the presence of thousands of police on March 8 and November 25. Istiklal Street, whose name is identical with freedoms, has been closed to the freedom of demonstration in the last ten years. If a few people gather, especially if they try to make a press statement, they are immediately taken into custody. For years, Galatasaray Square has been closed with iron bars and guarded by the police to prevent the vigil of the Saturday Mothers. I think even the cops there don’t know from whom and why they are “protecting” the square. The police barriers demonstrate a clear example of authoritarian culture.
Very few organised groups resist the oppressive-authoritarian power that has taken our public space from us. The feminist women’s movement and the LGBTIQ+ movement are the main groups that are resisting police violence. They are also present in the Boğaziçi University resistance and in the street demonstrations against Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. Despite all kinds of intimidation and violence, they demonstrate and raise their voices. Last night, November 25 Women’s Platform said, “Our rebellion against male-state violence is not over! Fight for our lives!” answering the call of thousands of women and LGBTQI activists.
It was worth seeing the desperation of the security forces, representing the male state violence, in the face of this colourful, non-violent women’s resistance that broke all the rules. The only tool they had was iron barriers, shields and tear gas against the women who were shouting, “We won’t be silent, we are not afraid, we won’t obey”. The November 25 Night March traditionally starts in Tünel and ends in Galatasaray. This time the police pulled the barricade up to the Swedish Consulate to block the path. They left less than a hundred meters for women to March. They also intervened with tear gas against those who wanted to go a little further from there.
*They asked whether is it possible that men and women can be equal. #ISaidTheyCan
Although our March on November 25, which could take place against all kinds of obstacles, was short-lived, it created hope as it showed that there are those who resist authoritarianism in the country.
The Women’s Platform for Equality (EŞİK) said in a statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women that they will not give up the struggle for an equal and non-violent life, and those decision-makers should do their duty to end gender-based violence and discrimination as soon as possible.
* We rebel agains the world.
Gender Equality in Finland
While the organized feminist movement in Turkey is facing male state violence, the Finnish Prime Ministry gave the “Gender Equality Award” (IGEP) to the We Will Stop Femicides Platform from Turkey this year. The photo of the Platform’s General Representative Gülsüm Kav and its Secretary-General Fidan Ataselim, who received the award from Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, made us proud.
Long live the right struggle of the feminist women’s movement.
