| 2024 Beyoğlu protests | |
| Partof: | the Israel–Hamas war protests |
| Date: | 7 April 2024 |
| Place: | Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey |
| Causes: |
|
| Goals: |
|
| Methods: | Demonstrations |
| Result: | Protests quelled |
| Side1: |
|
| Side2: | |
| Leadfigures1: | No centralized leadership |
| Leadfigures2: | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Ali Yerlikaya |
| Arrests: | 5 |
| Detentions: | 43 |
The 2024 Beyoğlu protests were a series of civil disobedience in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey.
On 7 April 2024, a group by the name of "A Thousand Youths for Palestine Initiative" organised protests in Beyoğlu against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party due to their continued trade and relations with Israel despite making many statements in support of Palestine, in which Turkish trade with Israel had actually increased after the Israel–Hamas war.[1] A month earlier, the group had also disrupted an Erdoğan rally in Ankara with the same demands.[2] The protestors gathered on İstiklal Avenue, near Galatasaray High School, where police quickly attempted to disperse the protest, in which 43 people were detained, and 5 of them were kept and tried.[3]
Heavy police brutality was reported, with the protestors being assaulted and extreme measures taken to quell the protests. Ali Yerlikaya defended police actions, and claimed that the protestors were warned to disperse but chose not to, however the Thousand Youths for Palestine Initiative claimed that hundreds of police officers were deployed and intercepted the protesters 20 meters away from the place where they had already reserved to make a press statement, and physically and verbally assaulted protestors, even the ones who were already on the floor. Only two police officers were temporarily suspended.[4] The group stated that Turkish police were equal to Israeli soldiers.[5]
CHP leader Özgür Özel reacted to photos of detained protestors and stated "I watched these images in Istanbul with great sadness. This mistreatment of young people who went to İstiklal Avenue with the slogan 'Stop Trade with Israel'; this is clearly contrary to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and the constitution. Young people in custody should be released immediately. We are closely following the process."[6]
Arab-Turkish politician Tülay Hatimoğulları Oruç of DEM Party described the events as "proof of the crocodile tears shed by the AKP-MHP regime for the oppressed Palestinians! The government, which signed million-dollar agreements with Israel while the genocide continued in Palestine, tortured the young people who called for solidarity with Palestine and for the government to cut off their commercial relations with Israel. All young people in solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians should be left immediately."[7]
Felicity Party leader Temel Karamollaoğlu stated "I congratulate each of our young people who protested the trade against Israel separately. Trade with Israel is cruelty to the oppressed from Gaza, it is even greater cruelty to offensively detain and torture those who protest trade. Trade with Israel is a betrayal of Palestine. Period."[8]