Provokers dump manure near tents of participants of Justice March in Turkey
On the 13th day of the Justice March in Turkey, a provoker dumped manure on the ground in front of the area where tents were set up in center of Düzce province for CHP chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and participants of the march to stay over at night.
As BirGün reporter Uğur Şahin reported from the site on Tuesday (June 27) evening, the truck that dumped the manure was found abandoned on the side of the road near the area and the dirt left on the ground was cleaned up by local municipality teams afterwards.
On Wednesday (June 28), state-run Anadolu Agency reported that the driver and two other suspects, who followed the truck in a car and recorded it as the truck dumped the manure, were taken into custody. While the driver was issued a fine of 3000 TL for ‘littering’, he and the other two suspects were released with the request of the prosecutor shortly after their questioning.
It was later revealed that the driver shared on social media the video recorded by the two other suspects – who were his friends – and wrote an insulting note that said: ‘According to our customs, it is bad manners to not offer something to the guests’.
While social media users reacted to the incident, main opposition party CHP’s MP Özgür Özel said in a statement given to Doğan News Agency (DHA) that the truck used in provocation belonged to a contracted firm working for the local municipality of Düzce.
Chair of CHP, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, also gave a statement on Wednesday morning before starting on the 14th day of the march, saying, “As you have also witnessed, there are provocations time to time. But we have never raised our hands in violence and we will never do so! On the contrary, we have been reacting to each provocation (during the march) by applauding (in protest)… This is extremely important to exemplify our passion for justice…”
