Beko: Proletarians will judge fascism on February 6
İSTANBUL (DİHA) – DİSK (Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions), KESK (Public Workers Unions' Confederation), TMMOB (Turkey Union of Chambers of Engineers and Architects), and TTB (Turkish Medical Association) called for solidarity during their first hearing in the lawsuit that was opened against them after the police intervention in May Day.
DİSK, KESK, TMMOB, and TTB made a press statement after the case opened against them for the events aftermath police intervention during 2014 May Day. Before the first lawsuit in Çağlayan Courthouse in Istanbul, a meeting took place in DİSK Head Office, and DİSK Chairman Kani Beko, KESK Chairman Lami Özgen, DİSK General Secratary Arzu Çerkezoğlu, TMMOB and TTB executive members and other DİSK components were present at the press conference.
Banners writing “Taksim is the place of May Day and this cannot be argued” were held and DİSK Chairman Kani Beko stated that workers have faced state terrorism for a long time in the history, hundreds of workers have been wounded during police attacks and intervention. “As if they are not the ones who did all this violence, they are the ones who opened a case against us” said Beko and reminded the decision previously taken by the European Court of Human Rights regarding May 1 Labor Day’s being celebrated in Taksim.
While there were meetings with Istanbul Security forces before May 1 Labor Day celebrations and protests, civilian policemen carrying backpacks filled with stones came to DISK building and threw stones at the workers to create a chaos and he showed the pictures of those policemen taken during these occurrences and claimed, “These backpacks carried by the police are filled with stones and I myself also saw that they were throwing stones at protestors”.
'Government has committed a crime by prohibiting Taksim to be a place for May Day'
Beko then read the common statement by all parties involved in the case. “We are accused of provoking meetings and demonstrations, but prohibiting May 1 Labor Day to be celebrated in Taksim is a crime” and reminded of the decision of where to celebrate May 1 Labor Day has been given to workers themselves by national and international courts. “While May 1 Labor Day is celebrated with high enthusiasm every year in Taksim, after 2012 monumental celebrations, the government prohibited 2013 celebrations in Taksim and carried fierce attacks on those who did so”. “Calling people to Taksim is not a crime, prohibiting this is a crime”, noted Beko. “AKP government committed a crime by prohibiting Taksim for May 1 Labor Day celebration”.
Call forparticipationinFebruary 6 first lawsuit
Calling for participationin the February 6 first lawsuit, Beko further stated that, “On February 6, workers will fight against fascism in Çağlayan because the purpose of fascism is to keep the continuation of shoeboxes - referring to corruption cases in AKP government - , illegal palaces, the glasses that cost more than a minimum wage in the country”. “Our goal is to keep out own space we created through the years and keep the spirit of those friends who lost their lives during deadly 1977 and other May 1 Labor Days” concluded Beko.
(da/nt)
