Women's revolt breaks through barricades at 21st Feminist Night March

2023-03-09 09:36:54


	 

	ISTANBUL - Women, who made a two-pronged march for the Feminist Night March in Taksim on March 8, went to Istiklal despite all the intervention. Women crossed the barricades with their rebellious slogans.

	 

	Dozens of women's organizations within the 21st Feminist Night March Platform came together at Cihangir and Karaköy points for the Feminist Night March that they wanted to organize in Taksim, Beyoğlu, on the occasion of March 8 International Women's Day. The slogans and riots of thousands of women trying to march to Taksim, which was banned by the Beyoğlu District Governor's Office, echoes in many streets and avenues.

	 

	UPRISING STARTED WITH SLOGANS

	 

	Gathering in front of the Multi-Storey Car Park in Cihangir, thousands of women held banners "We are angry, we are in mourning, we are in a feminist revolt against patriarchal capitalist destruction" and often shouted "Government should resign", "Long live solidarity of women" and "Jin jiyan azadi" "We are not silent, we are not afraid, we are not obeying" before the march. The slogans of the women almost echoed in the streets by zılgıt and whistles.

	 

	WAR POLICIES WERE CONDEMNED

	 

	Condemning the fact that the budget is not allocated to women, life and nature, women reacted by emphasizing that the budget is reserved for war policies and underlined the insistence on the government's war policies.

	 

	TORCHES WERE LIT

	 

	Slogans of Women echoed in the street for minutes. Women marching from Karaköy to Cihangir were again blocked by the police on Emanetçi Street. The women waited for a long time with the torches they lit. The lit torches created colorful images on the street.

	 

	ROADS TO TAKSIM WERE CLOSED

	 

	All streets between Cihangir and Taksim were closed with police barriers. Hundreds of police have surrounded the women in the streets and alleys. While the women's insistence and waiting continued with slogans, they gathered here and made a press statement. The statement was made in Kurdish and Turkish. The Kurdish version of the statement was read by Tevgera Jinen Azad (TJA) activist Remziye Alparslan, while the Turkish version was read by Ece Zelal Alma on behalf of the platform.

	 

	'WE KNOW THE STATE VERY WELL'

	 

	Saying that they are on the streets for the 21st Feminist Night March, Ece Zelal Alma said: "Many problems created by the government, such as war, oppression, inequality, and economic crisis over the course of twenty years. The government was responsible for the picture that emerged in the earthquake disaster that took place in Maraş on February 6th. We recognize the hostile policies of the government against women with the abolition of the Istanbul Convention, paving the way for the attacks against 6284, protecting the perpetrators and increasing the burden of women. We are known for its policies that do not allow it, for targeting LGBTI+s, and for trying to legitimize child marriages. Today, we recognize those who gave endless budgets to the Diyanet and closed nurseries and encouraged education in religious institutions, by giving unaccompanied children to sects and religious institutions. We know that the male-state is trying to prevent our rebellion with hundreds of police, TOMA and barricades every year on March 8th.”

	 

	'WE WILL CONTINUE STRUGGLE'

	 

	Saying that struggle is the only way to establish a new life, Alma promised that they will fight as women and said: "Women will be hand in hand. We are here to revolt together against all kinds of violence, to stand in solidarity, to resist, and to build our lives on the side of justice and equality. We do not give up on our struggle, our lives, each other, our dream of building a feminist world. We are angry, we are in mourning, we are here, we are not going anywhere. We are in a feminist revolt against patriarchal capitalist destruction and will continue our struggle."

	 

	'WOMEN HIT THE SHIELD AND HELMETS OF POLICE'

	 

	After the women made a statement, they headed towards the police barricades. Afterwards, the women, who tried to overcome the police barrier, marched and started hitting the police shields with the slogans "We are not silent, we are not afraid, we are not obeying" and "Open the barricades".

	 

	WOMEN WERE BATTLED AND DETAINED 

	 

	The police tried to prevent the intervention of women by spraying pepper gas. Responding, the women took the shields and helmets of some policemen. The police then intervened harshly and battered many women and took them into custody. A woman who condemned the police detention outside the blockade turned to the police and said: "You are not the police, you are the public enemy."

	 

	Then hundreds of police blockaded the women with shields. Women who continued to shout slogans were beaten here by the police in a blockade. Attacking the crowd with pepper spray, the police detained dozens of people. On the other hand, it was also learned that women were detained in many side streets in Cihangir for shouting slogans.

	 

	DETENTION AFTER THE MARCH IN İSTİKLAL

	 

	A group of Socialist Women's Movement members also entered Istiklal Street and marched. The women, who condemned by saying "We are in resistance against those who left us under the rubble", often shouted "Women to hold the streets and state will give account". After the march, at least 5 women were beaten and detained.

	 

	Detained women were put into detention vehicles. It was not known where the women were taken.

	 

	The 21st Feminist Night March Platform, which made a statement on the detention of women on social media, said: "Despite all obstacles, we came together, we found each other and raised our rebellion with a large crowd! We follow the detentions with our volunteer feminist lawyer group. See you again at the Feminist Night March on March 8 next year.”