Police kill man who sought to enter Newroz area in Turkey’s Diyarbakır

DİYARBAKIR

DHA photo

A man who attempted to enter a square where Newroz celebrations were occurring in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır was shot and killed by police for allegedly trying to enter with a knife, Doğan News Agency has reported.

Police officials stated that the suspect was shot after refusing to allow police to search his bag before attempting to escape from police in Diyarbakır’s Bağlar district. The man was shot by police and taken to hospital in serious condition. The suspect succumbed to his injuries while he was on the way to hospital.

Participants started to come early in the morning for the Newroz celebration. Almost 5,000 police officers were on duty across the province, and security precautions were tightened for the celebrations. Police also created five different checkpoints in the area. 

The Diyarbakır Governor’s Office permitted Newroz celebrations on March 18, Doğan News Agency has reported.

The celebrations started at 11 a.m. and will continue until 3 p.m. under the direction of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP).

During the celebrations, organizers asked participants to avoid chanting any slogans that were not determined by the organizing committee.

HDP Lawmaker Osman Baydemir and ousted Mardin Co-Mayor Ahmet Türk are expected to make speeches during the event.

There were also large-scale celebrations of Newroz in other cities in Turkey, including Van, Cizre and Istanbul’s Kartal district.

Newroz is celebrated by peoples throughout the Middle East, but has particularly import for Kurds.