TIP Chairman Baş criticizes AKP in harsh terms in May 1st post
Following the May 1st celebrations that could not be held due to strict police measures in Istanbul, harsh statements came from political party leaders. TIP Chairman Erkan Baş also criticized the events in a post on his social media account.
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Police intervened against members of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TIP) who were trying to march from Saraçhane for May 1st. TIP Chairman and Member of Parliament Erkan Baş argued with the police who were trying to detain party members.
Baş, who was trying to protect the cortege, told the police officer who was shouting at him, "Don't shout."
Evaluating the day after the tension and sharing a post on his social media account, TIP Chairman Erkan Baş expressed the following regarding May 1st:
I wholeheartedly congratulate the tens of thousands of laborers and our party organization who celebrated their holiday with enthusiasm all over our country, despite all the banning attempts of the constitution-ignoring AKP-MHP government.
Once again, we have shown together that no power can stand against labor and the laborer.
The AKP is a bosses' party.
They fulfilled what a handful of capitalists expected of them, against the working class's longing for a humane life and their concrete demands such as a 35-hour work week, winning Saturday, and equal pay for equal work.
We will defeat the capital government with all its elements, let no one have any doubt.
On the other hand, it must be said with regret that both the organizing committee and the main opposition party made a decision that undermined an important claim we all put forward together, wounding the holiday enthusiasm of the laborers.
It led to Erdoğan's fake show of strength, even if unintentionally.
I ask: Instead of defending our will and legal superiority that Taksim Square cannot be closed to the public, will we protect our fundamental rights by calling on the laborers resisting police violence to "disperse" and by leaving the side of those who resist?
Despite everything, the struggle and solidarity on May 1st, 2024, is important and has left lessons behind.
We will study our lesson and we will meet on more beautiful holidays.
Long live May 1st!
Long live socialism.