Pro-government education union Eğitim Bir-Sen’s İstanbul branch head Talat Yavuz has threatened participants of a March of Justice that was launched by main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in Ankara on June 15 “not to force the limits of the nation’s patience further.”
“The people of Düzce [province] warned you by putting a truck of animal manure on your route. Do not think the nation that has kept its patience since [a failed coup attempt on] July 15 about your spoiled acts will continue to do so. We are warning you. If we exercise our right to civil disobedience, you won’t even be able to find a prison to take refuge in. Do not force the limits of the patience of this nation,” said Yavuz in a Facebook message on Thursday.
The March of Justice, which was launched by Kılıçdaroğlu in protest of the arrest of CHP deputy Enis Berberoğlu, started in Ankara, is expected to last for 25 days and end at Maltepe Prison, where Berberoğlu is jailed.
Berberoğlu was sentenced to 25 years in prison on June 14 for leaking information for a report on National Intelligence Organization (MİT) trucks transporting weapons to jihadists in Syria.
On Tuesday, an unidentified person dumped a truckload of manure near the CHP March of Justice camp in Düzce, fueling anger among CHP supporters.
“The threat has been growing as it nears İstanbul. You cannot control such a big number of traitors with a 10-article regulation, which was released for show. The nation is aware of your goal,” wrote Yavuz, referring to a 10-article regulation released by the CHP against provocations during the march.
“If it is necessary, we can call all our members who are on holiday to duty now and make Maltepe unbearable for you. We are waiting. Maltepe Prison has a capacity to host more traitors. I saw it myself this morning and left in peace. Our nation should rest easy.”
Yavuz’s social media message came a day after the Customs and Trade Minister Bülent Tüfenkçi labeled the participants of the March of Justice as “terrorists.”
On Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said supporters of the march were separatists and members of “FETÖ,” a derogatory term used by government circles to refer to the faith-based Gülen movement.
Two days after the start of the march, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu must seek justice in Parliament lest he be “invited by the judiciary [to testify].”