CHP to hold anti-terrorism rally in Istanbul

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has announced that it will hold a rally to denounce the recent terror attack in the capital Ankara and rising violence against women and children.

Dubbed the “Right to Life Against Terror and Violence,” the rally will take place on Oct. 27 in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district, the party said in a statement after a central executive board meeting on Oct. 24.

The main motto of the rally will be, “We are united, together and are not afraid.”

The council held an extraordinary meeting after two PKK terrorists attacked a leading defense industry facility in Ankara and killed at least five people.

The initial plan of the CHP was to hold the rally to denounce growing violence against women and children across the country. Following the terror attack, the CHP decided to expand the scope of the rally, the party said.

“We have long discussed whether we should cancel the rally,” CHP leader Özgür Özel said after the meeting. They discussed holding the rally in order not to show that the Turkish people are united against those who want to spread fear in the country, Özel said.

“Terror will reach its aim if we get scared,” he added, calling on everyone to attend the rally to stand against terror and violence.

“We said, ‘We are not scared.’ We should not be intimidated and continue our march with determination.”