Italian deputies wear red to support Gezi Park protesters

ROMA – Doğan News Agency

A group of Italian female deputies wore red dresses in a discussion at the parliament, evoking the woman in red, who was sprayed with pepper gas by the police during protests in Istanbul. DHA photo

A group of female Italian deputies wore red dresses while attending a discussion about abortion in support of protesters in Turkey, evoking the “woman in red,” who was sprayed in the face with tear gas by the police on May 28 during protests in Istanbul.

Eight female deputies from Italy’s Left Ecology and Freedom Party were in red during a discussion about abortion in the Parliament saying that the Turkish protester in red had inspired them.

On the first day of the protests in Turkey, a girl in a red dress, sprayed by the fully armed police, became the iconic symbol of the Istanbul unrest. The girl, Ceyda Sungur, is a city planner who was there to prevent the demolition of the small park.

Italian deputy Titti Di Salvo told Doğan news agency that taking inspiration from such a woman’s photo when attending a discussion regarding women’s rights was very natural.

“Seeing this woman standing tall in front of the pepper gas showed us how far the desire for freedom can reach,” said Maria Nicci, another deputy wearing red. “Resist! Because we want a different Europe with you,” said Nicci.