Özgür Özel had called on İzmir: Rally area under police blockade

Following the call made today by the CHP’s elected chairman, Özgür Özel, to hold a rally in İzmir, the area where the rally was planned to take place has been placed under a police blockade. Özel had announced that they would hold a rally at Cumhuriyet Square at 12:00, but the İzmir Governorship had banned the rally. With more than an hour left before the rally, a large number of riot police teams were brought to the area. Cumhuriyet Square was blockaded with barricades and TOMA (Armoured Water Cannon Vehicles).

Özel had declared that a rally would be organised in İzmir against the unlawful actions and had called upon all citizens to attend.

The İzmir Governorship, however, rejected the request to hold the rally at Cumhuriyet Square. It was stated that the Governorship pointed to Gündoğdu Square for the rally on the grounds that 'only a limited number of peo