People in Istanbul March for Charlie Hebdo

The attack on humor magazine Charlie Hebdo executed on 7 January was protested in Istanbul, as well. Hundreds of people marched from Mis Street on Istiklal Avenue to the French Consulate holding banners that wrote “I am Charlie” and “We aren’t scared”.

The first protest march was organized on 8 January at 18 p.m. (GMT+2) with the call of Writers Syndicate of Turkey, Özerk Art Council, and Homur Humor Group.

Aydın: Paris and Sivas Massacre belong to the same mentality

Protestors carried the banner that wrote “Je suis Charlie” and “I am Charlie”. Actor Orhan Aydın, the participant of the protests, emphasized the similarity between the attack in Paris and Sivas Massacre [an attack executed in 1992 that triggered intellectuals and resulted in the killing of 35 people].

“There is no difference between the attack in Sivas in 1992 and the one in Paris today because both come from the same mentality. That mentality appeared in Paris and we don’t know where it will appear in the future. All humanities in the world and art movement should come together and reinforce their honor in order to handle this problem. They should cry out for peace.”

Having released the press statement, Mustafa Köz, chairperson of Writers Syndicate of Turkey (TYS), said:  “Oppression, cruelty and massacres can’t stop the free thought. The slaughter of our friends in Paris wounded us, as well. All artists in the world must come together, so that this wound won’t become worse.”

Selvi: Don’t stop drawing

The second protest march on Istiklal Avenue started at 19 p.m. in Mis Street. Many people participated in the protest whose call made by United June Movement.

During the march, the banners were hold that include caricatures from Charlie Hebdo and Penguen magazines and wrote “We are all Charlie”, “Je sues Charlie”, and  “We aren’t scared”.

The French in Turkey marched behind the banner wrote “We are in the street for equality, fraternity, freedom and Charlie Hebdo”. The protestors held pens in their hands, as well. The protestors arrived at the French Consulate and Artist Barış Atay released the press statement.  “It is obvious that bigotry and Islamist fascism became vicious in the world just as in Turkey,” Atay said.

Sefer Selvi, participator of the protest, stated that to silence the pens with the guns is fascism and “Guns get silent but pens never do. Don’t stop drawing,” he asserted.

After the march, people left cloves in front of the French Consulate. (MY/ÇT)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.