Thursday, June 1, 2023

10th anniversary of Gezi Park Resistance: TKP hold a protest on Istanbul's Istiklal street

Communist Party of Türkiye (TKP) organised a demonstration on Istiklal Street in İstanbul today on the 10th anniversary of Gezi Park Resistance. TKP members, who 10 years ago hung the banner of “Don’t Bow Down” on Atatürk Cultural Center -this slogan had become the symbol of the resistance afterwards- this time hung it on Demirören Shopping Mall and chanted slogans of “Everywhere Taksim Everywhere Resistance”, “Don’t Bow Down, Reclaim Your Country”, “This is just the beginning, keep on struggling”. TKP members marched on Istiklal Street and faced police intervention in the first minutes of the protest.
 
In the posts made on TKP’s social media accounts, it was stated that “We are together at the place where our honourable resistance started 10 years ago when millions of people took to the streets against the reactionary AKP government. Those who do not bow down will win, we will win! Despite all the obstacles and pressure, we continue to shout our word. We will tear this darkness and hopelessness.”. Announcing that many TKP members were detained, the Party said, “Unlawful detentions should be released immediately.”

The Head of TKP Istanbul Provincial Organisation Senem Doruk İnam, who was in Istiklal Street, made the following statement after the demonstration:

“The June Resistance showed us how beautiful and strong we are when we stand side by side, it showed us that we will not bow down to the darkness created by the AKP. Now it is time to show what we have learnt from the resistance together; there is no room for despair and darkness. Once again we call out to our people: Do not bow down, organise for a real emancipation. We will not give up our country and we will rule this country as it deserves. Our people will live in prosperity and happiness in this country as they deserve. This is our promise to our people, we will definitely succeed. Our friends unlawfully detained here today must be released immediately.”

tkp.org.tr