Thousands congregate in Bakırköy in opposition to the state of emergency (15.01.2018)

Thousands of citizens congregated in Bakırköy and took part in the “No to the state of emergency” rally held at the behest of the Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions, sporting, “Bread, justice, freedom” and “Democracy not state of emergency” banners and placards.
 
There was frequent chanting of the slogans, “Nuriye and Semih are our honour” and “We will win by resisting and resisting” by rally participants.
 
Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions Istanbul Branches Platform Period Spokesperson, Kazım Yılancı, addressed the rally at which CHP Istanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu and CHP Balıkesir MP Mehmet Tüm were also in attendance.
 
Yılancı said in his address, “We are passing through a dark period, but your decisive stance here both warms our hearts and is a hope for our futures. We do not want people who set themselves alight in front of parliament. We do not want our children we send to school to be raped. We do not want to be stifled in our country’s pitch darkness. We want an enlightened country. We want to say ‘hello’ to a fraternal future in a country in which we can live freely.”
 
Hundreds of people congregating at the behest of the Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions in Bakırköy’s Dikilitaş held a “Democracy not state of emergency” rally. The crowd that assembled marched accompanied by slogans to Özgürluk Square. People passed into the rally area having been searched at three search points.
 
Banners were carried reading: “Long live our fight for labour and democracy,” “Let Nuriye and Semih live,” “The decrees will go and we will remain,” “Democracy, peace and freedom not state of emergency,” We want our jobs and bread back,” “1412 associations, 139 foundations, 37 radio stations and 33 TV stations have been closed in the state of emergency.”
 
The slogans were chanted: “We will win by resisting and resisting,” “The decrees will go and we will remain,” “Nuriye and Semih are our honour,” “We will not be the AKP’s civil servants,” “The AKP will go and we will remain,” “We did not steal or thieve nor were we deceived,” “Neither state of emergency nor coup but a democratic country” and “The free press cannot be silenced.”
 
Alongside unions federated to the Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions, the CHP, HDP, EMEP, June Movement and left-wing groups attended the rally.
 
The rally ended following the speeches.