Melike Aydın 

 

IZMIR - After the racist attack against the HDP Izmir Provincial Organization and the murder of Deniz Poyraz, a ‘Breath for Democracy’ rally will be held in the city. Calling for participation in the rally, HDP members said: ‘’We care about İzmir being an end to fascist attacks and a beginning for a united democratic opposition.’’

 

Izmir Labor and Democracy Front will hold a rally on July 8 in Gündoğdu Square in the city with the slogan "A breather for democracy" following the fascist attack on the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir Provincial Organization and the murder of Deniz Poyraz in the attack. HDP members who participated in the activities for the rally emphasized that the attack was aimed at the Kurdish people and all the oppressed and described the rally as the beginning of the gathering of all segments who want democracy.

 

‘The beginning of the coming together of all segments’

 

Reminding the statements made by the racist Onur Gencer, who murdered Deniz Poyraz, after the attack, HDP İzmir Provincial executive Ayşe Özdamar said: ‘’This is the point at which the government and fascist forces attacked the HDP in particular, the democracy forces in general, the Kurdish people and marginalized peoples.’’ Ayşe stated: ‘’We care about Izmir being an end to fascist attacks and a beginning for a united democratic opposition. From this point of view, murderers cannot kill what they want by waving their arms. In this country, these people cannot steal people's property. Then they cannot stand in front of the television and transfer their lies by looking at people's faces. The government in this country can no longer burn forests in Bingöl, cannot say, ‘I will build this canal,’ despite the will of the people of Istanbul. There is only one solution to this. It is necessary to come together to take a stand and to be able to do this on the streets. An important rally for us. We understand it as the beginning of the gathering of all segments who want democracy to those who try to close party.’’

 

‘Attacks are a sign of fear’

 

Another executive of the party, Hediye Korkut, pointed out the importance of attending the rally and said: ‘’Deniz was murdered in our party. In fact, perpetrator wanted to murder all of us in the person of Deniz. This also shows their fear of us. They attack because they are afraid. Our party is getting bigger day by day. The closure case is one of them. They can close our party. The more they close, the stronger we will come out. For this reason, I invite everyone to the rally to lay claim to the party.’’

 

All pro-democracies invited

 

Emphasizing that HDP members should show their unity and solidarity repeatedly, HDP Young Women's Coordination member Berfin Benzer referred to the words of Deniz's mother, Fehime Poyraz, saying, ‘One Deniz has gone, but thousands of Deniz will come.’ Berfin continued as: ‘’The whole Kurdish people were wanted to be killed there, not Deniz. But we will show that we will destroy fascism on July 8. We invite everyone who is pro-democracy to our rally.’’

 

People are in a state of suffocation

 

HDP Konak District Co-chair Hayat İzgi, who said that the rally was a rebellion, and the people could not breathe, stated: ‘’There is so much pressure that nothing can be talked about. The people are overwhelmed by not being able to talk about raises, inequality, and to hearing about the femicides. We will go to Gündoğdu Square with all the forces of democracy to say stop to the massacres.’’