ANTALYA - Intercepted by an armed and racist group in Döşemealtı district of Antalya, HDP District Co-chair Mehmet Deniz said: "They asked for my ID. I told them I didn't have my ID with me. They later released me. This is a provocation."

 

The fires that started on July 28 in Antalya continues on its 9th day. Following the provocation of the pro-government media that the PKK had done it, people with guns and clubs in their hands have been hunting down Kurds in Manavgat, Serik, Alanya, Gazipaşa and Döşemealtı. Racist group intercepting cars on the roads with guns and clubs in their hands have battered scores of people so far. The people in the car stopped by these groups on Tuesday was questioned by the armed group.

 

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Döşemealtı District Co-Chair Mehmet Deniz was also in that car. Stating that two people stopped them with flash lights in their hands, Deniz said around 20 more people surrounded them shortly, and started questioning them. Underlining that all 20 people except for the first two were carrying guns, Deniz said: "I told them I was going home. They wanted my ID and my home adress. I asked them with what authority they were asking for IDs. I told them they were not soldiers or the police. They told me they know what their purposes is and it was non of my business."

 

Being released by the group a little later, Deniz said: "This is a provocation. We all live in the same district. If it burns, we'll all burn."