CHP leader Özel's message from Saraçhane: 'Özgür will die but he will not leave this Saraçhane'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel responded clearly to allegations of provocation being created in the public eye through an iftar invitation from a group close to IBDA-C during the mass protests that have been ongoing for days in Saraçhane. The CHP leader stated that they are providing iftar to tens of thousands of people in Saraçhane and expressed that they would not leave this area to anyone.

Reminding everyone of the debates surrounding the iftar invitation, Özgür Özel said:

"We are already distributing iftar to 10 thousand, 100 thousand people every day. We will not leave this square and leave it to anyone. It is that clear. If we need to be here today, we are here."

Addressing the crowd in the square, Özel also emphasized that some groups wanting to leave Saraçhane were trying to divide the strength of the masses:

"They are trying to leave us weak against others. When the day comes, we will all go to Taksim together, but today we are here. We will defend this place with 500 thousand people."

''WE WILL DEFEND TAKSIM WITH 1 MILLION PEOPLE WHEN THE DAY COMES''

Touching upon the Taksim debates, Özel recalled the struggles they waged in Taksim Square in the past and used the following expressions:

"We were in Taksim on the day we needed to be in Taksim, we saved Gezi Park. Today, we need to be in Saraçhane. Look, let's say there are 1,000 people who want to go to Taksim, and 499,000 people who want to stay here... If those 1,000 people go, they will get tear-gassed, bad things will happen, and I will be saddened. Let's defend Saraçhane today, and when the day comes, we will go to Taksim with 1 million people."

The continuation of Özel's statements is as follows:

"They have made a call. Let them come, let them do whatever. That is what is going to happen. We will come to the mosque, we will have iftar, you are welcome. We are already distributing iftar to 10,000, 100,000 people every day. We will worship, you are welcome, we won't turn up the volume while they have their thing. But we cannot leave this square and leave it to anyone"

Özgür Özel also evaluated the calls for Taksim with the words "Özgür will die but he will not leave this Saraçhane." Özel spoke as follows:

The saying 'Özgür take us to Taksim', say it on May 1st. This May 1st, or the next May 1st. We will all go together, 'We will go to Taksim'. But today, 'Özgür take us there', 'Özgür leave Saraçhane'.

Özgür will die but he will not leave this Saraçhane. That is all. Chairman, there are many. Exactly, there are many. Chairman, our Chairman. Chairman. Yes. Last word. It is not about not going to Taksim. It is about Taksim being banned for us, Chairman. I will handle that later. We will not leave Saraçhane, but we will also go to that Taksim. When the day comes, defend Saraçhane. Look, let's defend this place. We are here, let's say 500,000 people in Taksim, I asked yesterday.

Those who say 'let's go to Taksim' are 1,000 people. Those who say 'let's stay here' are 499,000 people. If you go as 1,000 people, you will get tear-gassed, bad things will happen. And I will be saddened for you. Today, we will defend this place with 500,000 people. When the day comes, we will defend Taksim with 1 million people, not 500,000. I know this business. That is why I will not let this place be divided today.

"I WILL NOT LEAVE SARAÇHANE, THEY WILL BURY ME IN THE GROUND AND I WILL STAY IN SARAÇHANE"

I am going, going for nothing, especially don't throw fireworks at our police, don't bother with that. We have taken the police behind those arches. We are here. Fight the whole battle here. Then, when the day comes, when we say we want May 1st in Taksim, what will they say? If they say don't come out, we will come out with 1.5 million people. But today, I will not leave this Saraçhane. Look, they will give me billions in Taksim. They will bury me in the ground here, I will stay in Saraçhane. I am saying this much. We are clear on this, friends.

"I AM WAITING FOR EVERYONE WHO HEARS MY WORDS IN SARAÇHANE"

Wherever we need to be today, we are there. We were in Taksim on the day we needed to be in Taksim. We saved Gezi Park. We have two days. The place we need to be is Saraçhane. We are here. Do not divide the strength by saying 'let's go to Taksim'. They are trying to leave us weak against others. When the day comes, we will all go to Taksim together, all together.

I am calling out to everyone who hears my words, at 20.30, hundreds of thousands are in Saraçhane, we continue to own the will of Istanbul, to own each other.