Naysayer women attacked by protesters in Istanbul’s Bakırköy district

ISTANBUL

A naysayer stall set up mostly by women in Istanbul’s Bakırköy district was attacked by a group on March 19, on the eve of Turkey’s upcoming April 16 constitutional referendum, Doğan News Agency has reported. 

The incident reportedly occurred after a passerby man started shouting at the women and walked toward them, while others present at the scene tried to prevent him from attacking the crowd. 

Tension rose after a man at the stall got involved, with some six to seven people beating him after he hit the protester man’s hand with a banner. 

After the groups were dispersed, women at the naysayer stall said the protestors had passed by the stall seven times before and they used obscene language.  

Meanwhile, a group of Ülkücü (Idealist) supporters attacked a meeting of dissident Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) lawmaker Meral Akşener, who is also a naysayer, in the southern province of Mersin late on March 19. 

A group of nearly 100 people carrying pictures of MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli chanted slogans in support of the party head. Akşener gave her speech under tight security measures in the Yenişehir Culture Center, while her guards carried an umbrella as a precaution against an attack with eggs. She continued to speak as the protests outside the hall continued.