Clashes occur at BDP gathering in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

BDP deputy Sebahat Tuncel (second from left) DHA photo

Police intervened with force against a group of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) members, including several deputies, who gathered in Istanbul’s Aksaray neighborhood today to attract attention to the 54th day of hunger strikes conducted by Kurdish inmates, daily Radikal has reported.  

Three people were detained following clashes between police and members of the group, while many others were subjected to water cannon and pepper gas attacks, including BDP deputies Aysel Tuğluk, Sebahat Tuncel and singer Ferhat Tunç. Tuğluk reportedly lost her balance during the melee and fell to the ground.

Police refused to allow the group to make their statement about the ongoing hunger strikes.

Meanwhile, the BDP’s plan to conduct a press conference in its Beyoğlu party building at 2:30 p.m. was also obstructed by the police.  

The BDP had announced yesterday that it would make a press conference about the hunger strikes with Tuğluk, as well as deputies Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Sebahat Tuncel and Levent Tüzel at the Aksaray metro station.