Hard hat thrown at Mayor Aras, journalist attacked

A dispute broke out between union members and Muğla Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras following the cancellation of the underground mining exploration license for the thermal power plant in Yatağan, Muğla. During the argument, Aras was booed and a hard hat was thrown at the table where he was speaking; he left the hall saying, "We are brothers." During the scuffle, Ümmü Gülsüm Dural, a reporter for a local newspaper, was choked by an unidentified woman.

Tension arose between Muğla Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras and unionized workers. Members of the Energy, Water and Gas Workers' Union of Turkey (TES-İŞ) requested a meeting with Mayor Ahmet Aras. As the group arrived in large numbers, the meeting took place at the Türkan Saylan Contemporary Life Center in Menteşe.

ARGUMENT ERUPTED

A dispute occurred between union members and Mayor Aras after the underground mining exploration license for the thermal power plant in Yatağan was canceled as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Muğla Metropolitan Municipality.

"WE ARE BROTHERS"

During the argument, Aras was booed and a hard hat was thrown at the table where he was speaking; he left the hall saying, "We are brothers."

CHOKED

Ümmü Gülsüm Dural, a reporter for the local Yenigün newspaper who was covering the event in the hall, was subjected to physical assault when a woman grabbed her by the throat.

Many workers affiliated with the Mine-İş and Tes-İş unions came to the Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Türkan Saylan Center to meet with Muğla Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras. The workers who entered the hall began chanting slogans continuously. Muğla Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras, who took the podium, was unable to speak due to the slogans.

Local newspaper reporter Ümmü Gülsüm Dural, who was covering the event in the hall, was first subjected to a verbal attack by union members. The young female reporter, who was surrounded by male union members, was then physically assaulted by a woman among the arriving workers, who grabbed her by the throat.

The unionized workers escalated their unruly behavior in the hall to throwing hard hats. They also threw hard hats at Taner Yiğit, the Head of the Press Department of the Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, and at the podium where Mayor Aras was located.

News Source : İHA