Police disperse BDP rally in Turkey's restive frontier town with tear gas and water cannon

CEYLANPINAR

High profile names such as BDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, BDP Batman deputy Ayla Akat Ata and independent Van deputy Aysel Tuğluk were among the demonstrators. AA photo

The Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) demonstration in the restive Turkish-Syrian border town of Ceylanpınar late Aug. 4 to support Syrian Kurds attempting to defend themselves against jihadist attacks has been quelled by the police.
 
High profile names such as BDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, BDP Batman deputy Ayla Akat Ata and independent Van deputy Aysel Tuğluk were among the participants in the demonstration. Police told the group that the rally was not allowed. The demonstrators refused to disperse, which prompted the police to resort to tear gas and water cannon to quell the group. 
 
Earlier reports said the Şanlıurfa Governor’s Office had forbidden the demonstration, leading prominent BDP deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder to meet Gov. Celalettin Güvenç.
 
Önder told reporters yesterday that Kurds in Turkey would naturally support their ethnic compatriots in Syria, while adding that it was unnatural to ban such a “democratic” desire.
Ceylanpınar was tense yesterday as a stray bullet fired during clashes in the Syrian town of Ras al-Ayn along the Turkish frontier caused another death.

Ramazan Zeybel, a 43-year-old man and father of 10, was shot in the chest while out shopping ahead of the Ramadan bayram holiday. He was immediately taken to hospital but succumbed to his wounds despite medical intervention.

Zeybel’s death brought the total number of Ceylanpınar residents killed by stray bullets and mortars to four. Following the incident security measures near the frontiers have been increased.