Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Tugay: We must wage such a struggle that we change this order

The rally held at Gündoğdu Square to protest the arrest of CHP's presidential candidate and Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was attended by CHP Izmir Provincial Chair Şenol Aslanoğlu, Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay, district mayors, district chairs, mass organizations, unions, professional chambers, and citizens.

Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Tugay said, "I have been hearing and listening since yesterday: 'Do not let this be a rally area, do not make this your own show, do not make your propaganda. Do the action that the protesters here want.' I hear it. Now, we have participated in many rallies, meetings, and actions throughout our lives. I am 58 years old. I am a 1989 Ege Medical School graduate; I entered Ege University in 1983. Yesterday, I spoke with some students from Ege University. One of them shouted to me: 'This is not how it works, this is not how it works.' I said: 'How does it work?' I don't know, but this is not how it works. Look, there is an organization here carried out by the Labor and Democracy Forces platform. I invite the representatives of our university friends there. Come, join, and let us decide together how we will carry out this organization," he said.

"WE MUST WAGE SUCH A STRUGGLE THAT..."

Tugay continued as follows:
"There was a magnificent scene in Saraçhane yesterday. But today, a doctor friend of mine sent me a video. His daughter is a university student. They were subjected to police intervention around night time. In those images, I saw that intense tear gas was used, plastic bullets were fired, and they were intervened with batons. I heard that many students were injured and detained. I think that our university friends who did not come here today and gathered at the small park might also be worried. Those children are our children. Those children are entrusted to us.

We must agree on one thing. We must take action. But we must carry out this action in such a way that no one's nose bleeds, no one's head is broken, no one is suffocated by gas... Without lying in intensive care in the hospital. With all of our minds and hearts... We must wage such a struggle that we change this order. We must defeat them. If the early election that we all want happens, that is when things will change in this country. I will continue to protect the legacy left to us by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and our rights to the end. If necessary, I will take a beating. If necessary, I will lie in prison! But I do not want any of our young people to be hurt."

News Source: 12punto