JINHA

ANKARA – On the first anniversary of October 10 Ankara Massacre, Ankara Police HQ stated that first degree relatives of those who lost their lives in the massacre and police have blockaded the roads to Ankara Train Station by using TOMA (Intervention Vehicle to Social Events). Police attacked the citizens reacted to the practice by using tear gas. As many citizens were taken into custody, there are wounded people.

On October 10, 2015, ISIS carried out two bomb attack on "Labour, Peace and Democracy" rally in Ankara and 101 people were killed in the attacks. Hundreds of people, including wounded in the massacre, relatives of 101 people from Kurdistan and Turkey gathered in Ankara Train Station on the first anniversary of the massacre in order to commemorate 101 people. However, police reported that first degree relatives of those who lost their lives in the massacre could enter the area with ID control. Two days ago, Ankara Police HQ announced they would allow “a symbolic group” to enter the area for the commemoration. KESK (Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions), DİSK (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions), TMOBB (Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects), TTB (Turkish Medical Association) and October 10 Peace and Solidarity Association stated that they would carry out an commemoration in front of the train station.

Meanwhile, hundreds of busses took the road for Ankara; however, Ankara Police HQ closed the roads to traffic and closed Cumhuriyet Avenue, Hipodrom Avenue and Talat Paşa Boulevard to the traffic in the morning.

The people, who gathered in front of the train station in order to commemorate those who lost their lives in the massacre, reacted to the practice. Police officers simultaneously attacked the groups by using tear gas and TOMA. As many people have been detained, there are wounded people, too. The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chairs Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş and MPs Nursel Aydoğan, Burcu Çelik Özkan and Hüdaya Kaya tried to talk the police.

The group has trying to gather in front of the police barricade despite the attacks.

(de-he/sy/gd)