Truck dumps fertilizer near Turkish opposition’s ‘justice march’ camp in protest

DÜZCE

A truck dumped fertilizer on a road near where main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and participants of his “justice march” were staying to protest, as the march from Ankara to Istanbul entered its 14th day. 

The fertilizer was dumped on a road near the area where Kılıçdaroğlu and supporters of the march were camping overnight after their 13th day of walking, in the Cumhuriyet province near Düzce on June 27.

The driver of the truck reportedly continued to move after the incident and the empty truck was later found 500 meters from the site. 

The driver and two other suspects were detained by the police on June 28, with the driver reportedly being given a fine of 3,000 Turkish Liras. The suspects were later released by the prosecutor's office.
Kılıçdaroğlu described the incident as a “provocation” on the morning of June 28, as he set out on the 14th day of the march, repeating his party’s earlier warning against such incitements. 

“There may be protests from time to time, as you have witnessed. But our hands have never been raised to violence and they will never do so. On the contrary, I and my friends who have participated in the march are all applauding together,” the CHP head said in Düzce. 

“We are all on alert against all kinds of oppressions and provocations. We have prepared a 12-article declaration against this. All participants are complying with this declaration,” Kılıçdaroğlu said. 

The CHP was due to convene its Central Executive Board on June 28, as the march continuing on to the province of Sakarya.


CHP calls for ‘big gathering’ on July 9

Meanwhile, CHP spokesperson Bülent Tezcan called on supporters of the “justice march” to gather in Istanbul’s Maltepe Square on July 9 at 16:00 p.m. 

“Of course this march will not end after the July 9 Istanbul meeting. I am not talking about a new march but this struggle will not end until we will reach justice,” Tezcan said after the party’s central executive board meeting in Düzce’s Ihsaniye district on June 28. 

“We will organize a big gathering where we will meet people who have the will for justice across Turkey. The search for justice continues to grow day by day. Turkey now has a spokesperson for justice and that person is Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu,” he added. 

Tezcan stated that the “justice march” transcended all political opinions because it was a search for “justice.”

“This march is not something that only leftists, rightists, conservatives or revolutionaries can claim. That’s why it is a march that is attracting millions of people,” he said. 


New security measures against ‘provocations’

Tezcan also said the party has taken new security measures to prevent any altercations on the way, warning that “provocations have been accelerated.”

Referring the party’s 12-article declaration in this manner, Tezcan said the CHP had created a team of 25 lawmakers tasked with actively working to ensure the security of the cortege. 

“We have designated the basic rules of the justice march. We have printed it out and distributed it among participants,” he added.  

“The number of those who support us is far higher than those who protest us. But anyway we do not look at the protesters with animosity. They are not our enemy,” Tezcan said.