TURKEY: Turkish protesters come out onto the streets of Istanbul and the city of Antakya to make their voices heard against military action against Syria

Record ID: 214044

  • Title: TURKEY: Turkish protesters come out onto the streets of Istanbul and the city of Antakya to make their voices heard against military action against Syria
  • Date: 1st September 2013
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 1, 2013) (REUTERS) CROWD GATHERED FOR WORLD PEACE DAY RALLY VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING AND HOLDING UP FLAGS SECURITY CROWD WAVING FLAGS CROWD WAVING FLAGS OF PRO - KURDISH PEACE AND DEMOCRACY PARTY AND PKK LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) PRO-KURDISH PROTESTER ALI OZCAN SAYING: "People are doing everything they can. People take every step for peace and democracy. We are awaiting a message, a step from the government, from the ruling AK Party for peace." ANTAKYA, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 1, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING AND HOLDING UP BANNERS BANNER WITH PHOTO OF SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PROTESTER YUSUF KUZAN SAYING: "We are here to say Turkey's foreign policy is full of mistakes and we are here to say no to a war with Syria. We don't want war and we are against all kinds of violence" PROTESTERS GOING THROUGH CHECKPOINT AND CHANTING SLOGANS SECURITY PEOPLE DEMONSTRATING
  • Embargoed: 16th September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9E9PYVYSMJNVDMAQOF4VJ4M34
  • Story Text: Thousands of protesters flocked to the streets in Turkey's cities of Istanbul and Antakya on Sunday (September 1) using an annual Turkish event marking world peace to raise their voices against U.S. intervention in Syria.
    One protester called for peace not war: "People are doing everything they can. People take every step for peace and democracy. We are awaiting a message, a step from the government, from the ruling AK Party for peace."
    Some demonstrators waved Kurdish political flags, Kurds being a sizable minority in both Turkey and Syria.
    Riot police was present throughout after Istanbul saw fierce protests against Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in June.
    In Antakya, a city near the border with Syria, protesters carrying banners showing Syrian president Bashar al-Assad walked the streets in the name of peace.
    "We are here to say Turkey's foreign policy is full of mistakes and we are here to say no to a war with Syria. We don't want war and we are against all kinds of violence" said Turkish protester Yusuf Kuzan.
    Washington had seemed to be gearing up for a strike against President Bashar al-Assad's forces over an Aug. 21 poison gas attack that U.S. officials said had killed 1,429 people.
    Instead Obama delayed an imminent strike to seek Congressional support, a move that could take at least 10 days, if it comes at all.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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