Thousands of citizens in Bursa for Ekrem İmamoğlu! Özgür Özel responds to Erdoğan in Bursa: 'The most I can be is...'

Bursa became the new destination for the "The Nation Protects Its Will" rallies, which were launched following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 23.

The area for the rally, which began at 17:00 at City Square, was prepared starting from the morning hours. Extensive security measures were taken in the square, which was surrounded by police barricades.

THE RALLY AREA WAS DECORATED WITH FLAGS AND BANNERS

The square was adorned with Turkish flags and photographs of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, and Ekrem İmamoğlu. A giant banner reading "The nation protects its will" was also hung on a large building in the area.

Participants showed their reactions with the placards they carried and the slogans they chanted. Some of the banners in the area featured phrases such as "İmamoğlu is everywhere," "Pressures will not make us bow down, justice will prevail one day," and "Neither oppressor nor oppressed, a humane and fair order."

Additionally, a banner with İmamoğlu's photograph reading "Bring it on!" was among the visuals that the crowd frequently applauded.

"WHICHEVER DOOR YOU OPEN, A VIOLATION OF RIGHTS EMERGES BEHIND IT"

Ekrem İmamoğlu's message was also read at the Bursa rally. The highlights of İmamoğlu's letter are as follows:

"Beautiful people of beautiful Bursa, the city of the founding dream, the city of sweat, I address you from the other side of the Marmara, from the place of injustices and lawlessness, as the founding and protective mortar of this geography. This place is practically a photograph of injustices and lawlessness. Whichever door you open, a violation of rights emerges behind it. Since March 19, we have been defending the will of millions, our noble nation is defending it.”

Now I address the city heralded by Edebali. Our nation knows well the intention behind these actions. It has long since condemned in its conscience this judicial coup carried out against its candidate. Because our nation has faith that justice is the foundation of the state. Justice can only stand with fairness and conscience.

Remember, Bursa, the words of Tanpınar describing sadness and consolation. Bursa is a city that has preserved the spirit of the founding era throughout history. It is time to build a country that is fair and prosperous for all of us. We believe. Turkey will be governed again with merit and compassion. Bursa will win, Turkey will win. Everything will be very beautiful."

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL: THERE ARE NO 'STRONGHOLDS' LEFT

Immediately after İmamoğlu's letter, CHP leader Özgür Özel addressed the tens of thousands in the area.

Highlights from Özel's statements are as follows:

"Greetings to my worker brother who sheds sweat; hello to my farmer brother who makes abundance burst forth from his field, to our farmers, to the peasants who are the masters of the nation. Hello to the honest tradesmen of Bursa, the long-suffering tradesmen who do not eat rights and do not let others eat them. Hello in Bursa to our retirees who have worked for years and are tested with hunger. And greetings to the young people of Bursa who have held onto a hope for their country, who are resisting and struggling!

Bursa is a very special city for me. My wife Didem is from Bursa; she is your daughter, your child. Our daughter's name is İpek. The Silk (İpek) of Bursa. Your brother Özgür Özel is not the son-in-law of Bursa as some say; he is a child of Bursa, a true child.

Today is our seventh major gathering since the March 19 coup. First, when the coup attempt happened on the morning of March 19, when there was a coup attempt against Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor elected by Istanbul a year ago, we got up and went to Saraçhane all together. For seven days and seven nights, we resisted in Saraçhane with the hundreds of thousands, and then millions, who heeded our call.

We said: We will protect the national will! We are here until Mayor Ekrem returns to his post, until he takes delivery of that mandate, or until he entrusts it to someone elected from within the municipal council again.

On the morning of March 19, those who rose up saying "coup" and "trustee"; those who tried to appoint someone in place of the one elected by Istanbul, were stunned and defeated in the face of millions.

Then we crossed the Bosphorus Bridge. We made history together in Maltepe. Those who declared 9 days a holiday so that we wouldn't gather, so that we would disperse... Those who did every obstruction, realized the seriousness of the situation when they saw 2.5 million people in Maltepe.

Since that day, starting from Samsun, in Yozgat, Mersin, Konya, Van, and from Samsun to Yozgat on May 19... And we brought greetings with a spirit of solidarity to our beautiful city, our Bursa, the apple of our eye.

They said, "How will you fill that square in Bursa when there is no election, when no other process is underway?"; I have always believed in you, in your will, in your struggle. We came here to take action. We came to hold a rally.

The ruling party acted like the owner of Bursa for years. They said, "Bursa is the stronghold of the AK Party."

But on March 31, the nation said, "Hold on a minute." And it said: "If I am the national will, whoever I give the duty to, that person comes to that duty."

For forty-seven years, Bursa was governed by presidents of right-wing parties other than us.

The nation said: "I have a problem, I want a solution. And I am giving the duty to Mustafa Bozbey."

Let everyone know this: 'There are no such strongholds left anymore. The politics of strongholds, the politics of polarization are left behind.'

Now there is the politics of embracing. Bursa is no longer the stronghold of Tayyip Erdoğan or the AK Party. Bursa is the stronghold of this nation. It is the stronghold of this nation.

Let me just say this: What was done 67 days ago is a judicial conspiracy. Just as there was the Ergenekon conspiracy, the Balyoz conspiracy... Just as an attempt was made to seize the will of Istanbul in the Supreme Election Council with a conspiracy in 2019, this time we are facing a judicial conspiracy.

Unfortunately, Erdoğan has come out today talking about an octopus that only he sees, whose existence he cannot convince anyone of, and its arms. He says: "Is Özgür Özel the carrier pigeon of a criminal organization?"

He only believes in an octopus that he sees himself. God forbid! These duties have been performed for years.

The nation appreciated it: He served as mayor, Prime Minister, and President. You asked for all the powers, the nation appreciated it, it was done.

But if it tires you after a point, seeing octopuses on your own... There is no one else who sees it, no one you can convince!

A month ago... Or rather 66 days ago, he was saying: "A month later, they won't be able to look each other in the face. They won't even be able to look their families in the face."

Oh Erdoğan! 66 days have passed since you said that. Last Friday, I looked into Mayor Ekrem's eyes.

This Thursday, I will look into his eyes again. In Yozgat, Samsun, Van, Mersin, Konya, İzmir... Looking into the eyes of millions and the entire nation from their television screens, I say: Ekrem İmamoğlu is innocent! He is innocent! All of these are slanders! You are the slanderers!

He says: "Leave Mayor Ekrem. Don't follow Mayor Ekrem. Don't protect him. Are you a carrier pigeon?" Look Tayyip Erdoğan, from Özgür Özel, only a peace dove can emerge. From Özgür Özel, a peace dove can emerge. He brings brotherhood to this country, he brings peace. Sooner or later, I will take our presidential candidate by the arm and bring him to Bursa. I promise you.

He asks me, 'Will you vouch for him?' I will vouch for Mayor Ekrem, and for all our friends.

I vouched for İlker Başbuğ, I vouched for Mehmet Haberal, I vouched for Mustafa Balbay. I vouched for the honorable, dignified, Kemalist officers of Turkey. Those I vouched for are in the squares today with their heads held high. The Zekeriya Öz you vouched for ran away like a rat to America.

If you trust the slanders of this prosecutor, I trust the innocence of my friends. Come, let's make the nation the referee. Let's give TRT the authority for live broadcasting. Let's conduct all the trials on TRT. Let the slander be heard, and let the answers be given.

July is coming. I will visit all labor organizations and employer organizations. We will develop and announce a formula that both protects the worker and does not put the employer in a difficult situation regarding this issue. We are starting a great struggle to get an interim raise for the minimum wage in July for the rights of the laborer.

We want to hear the first slogans from Bursa. It is our right to have an interim raise, we will take it by force!

The people of Bursa know the metal storm well, if an interim raise is not made, we announce from Bursa that more than a metal storm is coming!"