13/06/2023 | Writer: Leo
6 hours in handcuff, violence inside the bus, insult, harassment…
Women from Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), who wanted to protest religious education policies, femicide and systematic phobia in Turkey, were subjected to police attack and detained due to unfurling trans flag.
Transphobia emerged on the streets of Eskişehir this time. The police violence we witnessed at the METU Pride March on June 9, was simultaneously in Eskişehir this time.
In Eskişehir, women from TİP, who wanted to protest against femicide, homophobia/transphobia and religious education policies were subjected to police violence due to unfurling trans flag, and were asked to disperse by the police by saying “You are disturbing around, you are troubling people with the flag.”
Police attacked and detained 8 people and used violence against other people coming from the party. Women from TİP waited till their detained friends were released.
6 hours in handcuff, violence inside the bus, insult, harassment…
According to the information gained from detainees, for KaosGL.org, they were kept waiting in the bus for 6 hours while they were handcuffed behind their back. Police violence went on inside the bus as well. One of the detained LGBTI+ activist told their experience as follows:
“Although I was handcuffed behind my back, I was beaten inside the bus as well. The riot police chief turned off the camera and insulted me as a ‘fagot, pansy’.”
On the other side, the detained activist also added that the police officer was constantly grazing their leg and when they asked why, he said “You are inciting me.”
Women from TİP underlined that they would continue to be in solidarity and said: “We once again address those, who disregard our gender identities, sexual orientations and us, and who aim to silence our voice and eliminate our colors: Get used to, we are here! Despite hate, long live life!”
Translation: Selma Koçak
Tags: human rights, women
