‘Bosphorus is not an oil pipeline,’ say Istanbul locals in boat demo to mark Turkish Straits Day

ISTANBUL

Demonstrators drew attention to the danger of oil transportation in the Bosphorus. AA Photo

A group of demonstrators put their boats out to sea to call for a safer Bosphorus on June 8, Turkish Straits Day, drawing attention to the danger of oil transportation in the waterway crossing Istanbul.  

Around 2,550 participated in the protest, sailing from one end of the Bosphorus to the other, opening banners that read “safety before disaster,” “Turkish Straits are not an oil pipeline” and “No to death boats.”

Demonstrators also held a minute’s silence in memory of the Gezi protest victims and the 301 workers killed in the Soma mine disaster last month.