Police storm the HDP building in Kartal, Istanbul

Police raided the district association of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Kartal district of Istanbul. The raid took place on Wednesday afternoon in the absence of the board members. The background to the measure is a preliminary investigation by the public prosecutor’s office on charges of “praising a criminal act or a criminal.”

The search of the building on the Asian side of Istanbul lasted for hours. Photos of martyrs, including Turkish revolutionaries Deniz Gezmiş and Ibrahim Kaypakkaya, as well as issues of the magazines “Democratic Modernity” and “Jineolojî” were confiscated.

When the raid became known, HDP members and people in solidarity gathered in front of the building and protested against the measure with the slogan “HDP is the people and the people are here”.

The raid has since ended, but the HDP headquarters continues to be besieged by police units and water cannons. Crowds also continue to hold out in front of the building.