farmers over hundreds of tractors join an opposition demonstration – Liberation
The tractors get involved. A hundred agricultural devices blocked roads this Saturday, April 19, in the center of Turkey, April 19, joining a new antigan demonstration organized by the main opposition party, the Social Democratic CHP.
The rally in the city of Yozgat took place a month after the arrest of the popular opposition mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglugreater political rival of President Rece Tayyip Erdogan. This arrest triggered the most important manifestations that Turkey has known in ten years and has led A repression of the authorities who arrested nearly 2,000 people.
If the large -scale demonstrations have calmed down, the country still knows student protests Universities and high schools, while the CHP leader, Ozgür Ozel, calls for weekly rallies across Turkey. Cap screwed on the head, Ozel himself led a tractor to Yozgat, at the top of the convoy. Thousands of demonstrators brandishing flags have gathered in this deeply conservative agricultural stronghold which has long supported the AKP Islamo-conservative party of President Erdogan and its nationalist allies.
They chanted « Government, resignation! » According to images posted by several opposition media. « I warn the authorities who consider the inhabitants of Yozgat as ants and try to crush them: we will not let you crush these farmers who work hard! », Launched Ozgür Ozel in front of the crowd.
In March, a dozen local farmers were sentenced to a fine for organizing a demonstration with tractors after the arrest of Imamoglu and the roundup of young demonstrators. « The government puts pressure on students, but the future of Turkey is the students, right? », said a tractor driver to the Anka news agency, without giving its name.
During the rally, the organizers read a letter from Ekrem Imamoglu calling for early elections. « If the government convened early elections today, the economy would recover on the rails », He wrote in a call to those who voted for the AKP of Erdogan or for its nationalist ally, the MHP.
