Izmir Turns Red and White
The anti-AKP rally in Izmir was a success:
Hundreds of thousands of pro-secular Turks gathered in the third largest city of Turkey Sunday to protest against the Islamist-rooted government that they fear is working to raise the influence of religion on society and pressure the secularist center-left parties unite ahead of parliamentary elections set for July 22.
Organizers of the pro-secular rally estimated the participating crowd at around two million. This was the first ever rally which was staged simultaneously both on land and sea as scores of small ferry boats and fishermen boats packed with demonstrators joined the rally from the sea.
Izmir is a port city on the Aegean coast that is a bastion of secularism, and Islamic parties fare poorly there. According to eyewitness accounts the demonstration was the biggest ever held in the port city of Izmir since the 1977 campaign rally in the city by late Bülent Ecevit, who was then heading the Republican People’s Party (CHP). The CHP had won the 1977 parliamentary elections with a 43 percent landslide…
“Turkey is secular and will remain secular,” protesters chanted. “No to sharia (Islamic law).”
The CHP and other opposition parties hope to use the protests to build momentum for the parliamentary elections (July 22). At this moment, the AK Party is, sadly, doing quite well in the polls: more than 40% of Turkish voters say that they support Erdogan’s party.
Two million people, quite amazing.
The New York Times has an article up about today’s protest in Izmir as well.
