21/10/2024 | Writer: Kaos GL
At the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Assembly, an AKP member said “LGBT propaganda, imposition, satanic, pedophilia, LGBT acts”.
The third session of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Assembly was held on October 17 at the municipality building in Saraçhane.
AKP IBB Assembly Member Şeyma Aktaa took the floor out of the agenda and targeted LGBTI+'s and CHP with homophobic hate speech. In her 15-minute speech, Aktaa used the expressions “LGBT propaganda”, “satanic, pedophilia, LGBT acts”, “LGBT imposition”, “perversion”, “psychopathic, sociopathic maniacs and murderers”, “global LGBT lobby”, “a war on humanity” against LGBTI+ citizens.
Aktaa recalled a Beyoğlu Municipality employee who was previously targeted by AKP members and said, “An LGBT activist was appointed as the coordinator of the daycare centers in Beyoğlu. This person both works for the municipality and is the CHP's social equality chairperson. This is happening not only in Beyoğlu but in many districts.”
Mayor of Beyoglu: Someone's private life, sexual life is not important for us
Beyoğlu Mayor İnan Güney took the floor and responded to Aktaa's remarks:
“Municipalities have recruitment processes. Municipalities write to the relevant authority for a security investigation. After the response to the letter, they hire if appropriate. Therefore, it is not someone's private life, someone's sexual life, someone's different features; what is important for us is the recruitment document from the governorship or the relevant authority.
“There is a congress process in the AK Party. The district chairman wants to cover the election defeat they suffered in this way. You called it a press release, was there anyone there other than 10 AKP executives? Besides, our municipality does not have an office called “ daycare coordinator”, you invented an office that does not exist. You are trying to create public perception with lies.”
In the rest of his speech, Güney talked about Beyoğlu Municipality's work on daycare centers.
“Is there such a thing as an LGBT meter?”
AKP Group Deputy Chair Zeynel Abidin Okul said, “We have nothing to do with anyone's sexual identity, the sexual identities of adult individuals are nobody's business,” but reiterated, “We think that LGBT is a global operation.”
Upon this, IBB Assembly CHP Group Deputy Chair Ülkü Sakalar took the floor and reacted to the AKP members:
“For some reason, we experience the same thing every time Ms. Şeyma takes the floor. Her speech is full of lies and slander. Everyone is disturbed by such lies and slander. Ms. Şeyma took the floor and said things that did not exist for 15 minutes. İnan president told us. How do you know who is LGBT and what their sexual preference is? Is there a test for that? We were really curious. There is no such thing as an LGBT meter. If you want to protect children in this country, may God protect them from the AK Party mentality. The problem of this country is children being molested and raped in community dormitories. Where were you when 28 women were killed in 11 days?”
After Sakalar's remarks, a debate broke out between CHP and AKP members. Some AKP members stood up and walked towards CHP members. The session was adjourned after scuffles broke out.
Tags: human rights
