Police intervention in Saraçhane: 'We are the hope of this country'
It has been reported that police have begun intervening against the crowd gathered in Saraçhane to protest the detention of CHP presidential hopeful and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
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It was noted that police used tear gas against the crowd gathered in Saraçhane. Footage from Saraçhane showed citizens affected by the tear gas attempting to take shelter in the İBB building.
The intervention reportedly began after CHP Chairman Özgür Özel and Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mansur Yavaş had left the area.
According to reports from SZC TV, some citizens were injured as a result of the police intervention. In the footage, it was observed that citizens were having difficulty breathing due to the heavy use of tear gas.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has not yet made a statement regarding the intervention in Saraçhane. It was stated that CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik held a meeting with Istanbul Governor Davut Gül. It was announced that citizens were trying to take refuge in the municipal building due to the intense tear gas.
It was stated that Yavaş is currently inside the municipal building in Saraçhane. Çelik told citizens that they needed to leave the building because there was heavy tear gas inside. Çelik exited the building along with the people who had taken shelter there. It was reported that initial medical treatment for the injured citizens was provided at the first-aid tents located in front of the municipal building.
Reacting to the intervention, Çelik made the following statements:
''They used the Bozdoğan [Aqueduct] as an excuse to intervene here. There are people inside with their heads and faces bloodied. Just to disperse this crowd, they brought the police right up to the entrance of the building and sprayed tear gas.
They think that we will disperse this crowd by spraying tear gas. They are mistaken. We have set up our infirmary and our tent. If they think they can disperse this crowd with gas and take over this place, they are wrong. We will not allow them to extinguish the hopes of this country. We will get İmamoğlu out of prison, and then we will make him president. We are the hope of this country. They cannot force us out of here.''