CHP, HDP youth branches unite to protest Ankara blasts

ANKARA - Doğan News Agency

Cihan Photo

The youth branches of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), along with members of the Thought Clubs Federation (FKF) and the Student Collectives and Youth Opposition, gathered at the Ankara train station on Oct. 26 to protest the deadly twin blasts which rocked the capital more than two weeks ago.

During the joint commemoration members of the youth groups released 102 balloons to the sky, in memory of the 102 people who lost their lives in the Oct. 10 blasts in Ankara. 

They left red cloves and placards with pictures of the victims, followed by a moment of silence. They also read a press statement after the meeting, which was attended by CHP Ankara deputy Aylin Nazlıaka and CHP youth branch head İrfan İnanç Yıldız.

“The ruling gang wants to create a bloodbath out of Turkey. They want us to feel enmity towards each other and kill one another on streets or university campuses. There is no other way than to unite against this darkness as young people who long for a livable country,” the press statement said. 

“We will not grow accustomed to deaths. We will struggle for peace. We will remain united and protect the ballot boxes together,” it added. 

The double blasts in Turkey’s capital ahead of a peace rally on Oct. 10 killed 102 people, including the two suicide bombers, while wounding hundreds of others. The deadly bombings have sparked protests across the country, raising questions on the sufficiency of security measures in the rally and against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in general.