Four women were beaten and detained by police in Istanbul whilst leaving the event in a cheerful atmosphere, organized by the Green Left Party ahead of next week’s elections.
The police intervened abruptly and without any apparent reason as the women were already dispersing, at the end of the rally which was held under the slogan “We Are Here, We Will Change With Women” in the Yoğurtçu Park of İstanbul’s Kadıköy district.
The police claimed that the women were wearing green, yellow, and red colours as a signal for a political message and attacked them as they were dispersing. The women were beaten and detained, while the rest of the crowd protested the police brutality by chanting “Jin, jiyan, azadî” (Women, life, freedom).
The incident has sparked outrage and condemnation from the public, who have accused the police of using excessive force against a peaceful gathering. A video showing an elderly woman being dragged and detained by police has particularly sparked outrage on social media.
Eyewitnesses reported that the police attacked the women without warning, leading to a scuffle that resulted in the detention of four women. The remaining women at the scene chanted slogans and protested the police’s actions, demanding the release of the detained women.