CHP's Deniz Yücel reacts to Minister Yerlikaya over 'edited' footage: A perception operation

Gökhan Gülyurt, the driver of the bus carrying a CHP delegation attempting to reach the old Parliament building for a program organized as part of the April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day, was detained on the grounds that he did not comply with the police's "stop" order.

Gülyurt was released by the Ankara 8th Criminal Judgeship of Peace under judicial control conditions.

Following Gülyurt's detention, footage showing the bus passing by a police vehicle was released to the public.

"I AM ADDRESSING THE INTERIOR SECRETARY"

CHP Party Spokesperson Deniz Yücel reacted to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya in a statement posted on his social media account after the footage was released. Yücel's post, titled "I am addressing the Interior Secretary," is as follows:

"Despite all your bans, while Istanbul, Ankara, and our 81 provinces have been flooding into the squares like a river for a month, your attempt to prevent us from marching from the First Parliament, founded by Atatürk, to Anıtkabir on April 23 is, to put it simply; a lack of judgment and incompetence. Pushing our police to the forefront with this mindless and illegal intent, without even showing the courage to issue a written order, is pure ineptitude. Your mindless management style is responsible for any unpleasant images that have emerged.

Is editing part of your job description? You are not releasing the full security camera footage, making it look like the bus was crushing a police officer, and serving it to the media for a perception operation. Do not worry at all, the heroic Turkish police know well who their friends are and who is oppressing them. Our police are also counting the days to achieve a democratic state of law and to perform their duties within the framework of law and order. What is this helplessness? Hiding behind the official page of the General Directorate of Security because your own word carries no weight is a sign of how helpless and incompetent you are. I wish you had taped your own mouth shut with the tapes you denied last week, so you wouldn't have brought yourself and your Ministry to this state."

İçişleri Sekreterine sesleniyorum:

Tüm yasaklarınıza rağmen İstanbul, Ankara ve 81 ilimiz bir aydır sel olup meydanlara akarken, 23 Nisan’da Atatürk’ün kurduğu Birinci Meclis’ten, Anıtkabir’e yürüyüş yapmamıza engel olmaya çalışmanız, en basit deyimiyle; izansızlıktır, iş…

— Av. Deniz Yücel (@avdenizyucel) May 2, 2025

WHAT HAPPENED?

In a statement on his social media account today, Minister Yerlikaya said, "Attacking our female police officer on duty with a vehicle is not just a threat to one police officer; it is a threat to our state, our peace and security, and public order," and made the following post: