Thousands of women defied a ban on protests on International
Women's Day, 8 March, and rallied in Istanbul, a major city in Turkey, before
police used tear gas to disperse protesters.
Turkish women called it a "feminist night march".
They demonstrated for about two hours. However, the Police prevented them from
reaching Taksim Square, which is situated in Beyoğlu in the European part of
Istanbul. Police also detained many people during the march.
On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Republican
People's Party released a report that revealed more than 600 women had been
killed in Turkey by men since 2021. Protesters slammed the government for
withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, also known as the Council of Europe
Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic
Violence, which aimed to protect women from domestic violence. Turkey’s We Will
Stop Femicides Platform also said that 328 Turkish women were killed by men
over the past year.
Organisers had been forbidden from marching down the
Istiklal pedestrian avenue, also known as the Grand Avenue of Pera, where
Women’s Day marches have been held since 2003. The authorities disapprove of
the demonstration for the second straight year.
Turkish Police blocked demonstrators’ access to the famous
avenue in Turkey’s biggest city. According to the Associated Press, police
officers detained at least 30 people and used tear gas after the women ended
their demonstration.
Local authorities banned the march, saying that the protest
could lead to verbal or physical attacks. Reportedly, a female protester said,
“We are not harming anyone, but unfortunately, we are faced with police
violence every time.”
Some protesters also held banners that read “we are angry,
we are in mourning” for over 46,000 people who died in Turkey in the February 6
destructive earthquake.
The Istanbul Governor's Office also suspended several
Istanbul metro services as part of security measures adopted to protect people.