Turkish nationalists protest killing of MHP advisor, attempt to march to BDP's Ankara office

ANKARA – Doğan News Agency

The group made a statement 50 meters away from the BDP building in Ankara, Jan. 28. CİHAN photo

A group of Turkish nationalists were prevented by the police from marching to the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) headquarters in Ankara on Jan. 28, where they sought to make a press statement over the killing of a Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) advisor.

After they were stopped, the group issued a statement 50 meters from the BDP building, saying they had gathered in order to “stop traitors who kill people, to stop the dirty hands grasping the country, and put an end to injustice.”

“[We] are killed, humiliated and estranged in the country’s land, which we gained through our lives and blood,” the group said. 

Cengiz Akyıldız, an adviser to the MHP’s Istanbul mayoral candidate, was killed and five others were wounded late Jan. 26 in an attack on one of the party’s campaign offices in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district.
MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli has urged the government to shed light on the deadly attack.

“Do those who decided to shed the blood of nationalists to change the agenda in Turkey, those who are eager to spark a civil war in the country, belong to the [ruling Justice and Development Party] AKP or the [outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party] PKK? This mystery must be explained by the prime minister and his government,” Bahçeli said during his party’s parliamentary group meeting on Jan. 28.

The government has said it will take additional security measures for the upcoming local elections.

“Our Interior Ministry is doing its job. But apart from routine measures taken in every election period, there are some issues to pay more attention to [in terms of election security] given the current circumstances,” Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has said.