Police attack commemoration of Mahir Çayan and his comrades

On the anniversary of the Kızıldere massacre, the police attacked the United Struggle Forces (BMG), which wanted to commemorate one of the 68th generation revolutionary leaders, Mahir Çayan and his comrades in front of Kadıköy Süreyya Opera.

The crowd gathered in front of Kadıköy Public Education Center after the police blockaded Süreyya Opera and its surroundings hours before the action.

Revolutionary Party Deputy Chairman Burcugül Çubuk, emphasized that Kızıldere is not over, and “the fight continues. We are walking on their path by fighting and wearing the red flag.”

The marching crowd was stopped by the police, who justified the blockade with a district governor’s ban. Many people were beaten and detained.

HDP deputy Musa Piroğlu protested the detentions and emphasized that while the murderers of women were released, the bosses who exploited the workers are free to do so, while people claiming their rights are detained.

Piroğlu said: “Mahir Çayan and his friends refused to bow. Mahir Çayan showed what needs to be done in this country; he showed revolutionary principles. Those who tried to make a press statement actually produced answers to the problems in the country.”

Piroğlu underlined that people are unemployed and poor, but no one wants to listen to them.

Noting that President Erdogan’s statement “Eat buffalo yogurt” is the same as Queen Marie Antoinette’s statement, “If there is no bread, eat cake,” Piroğlu said: “While people can’t find bread, the ones in the Palace say, ‘Eat buffalo yogurt’. They are only afraid of one thing, because if we rally, if we stand up, if we raise our voices, they will see that they are just a handful. Once the people stand up, their palace and reign will be destroyed.”

Underlining that commemorating Mahir Çayan and his comrades like Deniz Gezmiş means objecting to today’s darkness, Piroğlu added: “Mahir Çayan’s tore the darkness away, and eventually the working people of this country will see light.”