The police forces attacked with gas bombs at hundreds of democrat, progressive and socialist people who had gathered in front of the Court of Besiktas under the slogan "13 April Meeting for Justice and Freedom" with the aim of supporting the 10 September prisoners who were taken to the court on 13 April and giving an answer to the repression and terror of the fascist dictatorship based on the Anti-terror Law.
Progressive, revolutionary and socialist people from many provinces including Izmir, Ankara, Adana, Antakya, Mersin, Malatya, Amed, Bursa, Kocaeli, Manisa, Balikesir and Artvin came to Istanbul by buses for the meeting. Representatives of different democratic mass organisations, journalists, intellectuals, human rights defenders participated at the meeting for support.
International delegations from Russia, Canada, Colombia, Germany, France, England, Bulgaria, Greece and Switzerland were present in Istanbul for the 13 April Meeting and for the hearing.
The state forces also had made an intense preparation and concentration for the meeting. In the morning, a bus carrying the revolutionaries and socialists from the district Esenyurt to the meeting was confiscated by the police and 1 ESP activist was taken under custody. Sharpshooters were positioned at the roofs of the buildings near the court, while the Besiktas Square where the meeting took place was rounded by the police forces.
At the meeting, a statement was read out in the name of ESP and other organisations which were attacked in September. It was stated that the Meeting in Besiktas was organised with the aim of defending the freedom of expression, action and organisation. The counter-guerrilla massacres were condemned and it was expressed that the responsibles of the massacres of Mayday 1977, gazi, Sivas, Corum and Maras , the assasinations of Musa Anter, Abdi Ipekci and Hrant Dink are still free while those who defend the freedom of expression, action and organisation and who demand the clarification of the counter guerrilla murders are being taken to the courts. ESP activists emphasised in their statement once more that they will be on the streets to demand justice and freedom despite the state terror, the attacks based on the Anti-terror Law, and the complots. They demanded the release of the September Prisoners through their banners and by clapping hands and shouting slogans.
After the statement was read out, the police forces attacked at the demonstrators with gas bombs. The mass receded towards Dolmabahce and resisted the police by setting barricades and throwing stones. Tens of revolutionary and socialist people were taken under custody. Gulsah Tagac, mother of a prisoner, was wounded in the head. Civil fascists around the place also attacked at the demonstrators as a result of the provocation of the police.
Continuing with their determination to cry out their demands of justice and freedom in Besiktas until the end of the hearing against the attacks of the police, the demonstrators began to come together again at the Besiktas Square after an hour. The police attacked once more at the mass with gas bombs. Again, many people were arrested.
The police also attacked at the Mimar Sinan University near the Besiktas Square, when the university students supported the socialists against the police attack by shouting the slogan "Fascist Police!". Several students were arrested as a result of this.
Totally 114 people were arrested at the attacks. 31 of them have been released late at night.
Hatice Aydemir, representative of ESP, Songul Ozbakir, one of the coordinators of the radio Ozgur, Derya Okatan, correspondent of the same radio, Ilden Dirini, one of the editors of the newspaper Atilim, Sibel Bulut, correspondent of the same newspaper, Nahide Kilic, Executive Committee member of EKD , Kamber Saygili, vice-president of the union Limter-Is are among the 81 socialist who are still under police custody and will be taken to the court today.
The attack was protested through actions and declarations made in different cities in the evening. The protests extended to the labourers districts of Istanbul. The march called by ESP at the district 1 Mayis was supported by DTP , HOC , Koz and DHP. The police attacked at the action with panzers and gas bombs. The mass responded the attack by resisting with Molotov cocktails. The action extended to the small streets and continued for two hours.