Political violence exploded in Turkey today as supporters of Islamist President Recep Erdogan’s AKP Party attacked newspapers and offices of opposition political parties.
In June, Erdogan’s AKP lost seats in the Parliament and could not secure an absolute majority to form a government. Refusing to allow the opposition parties to do so, Erdogan announced new elections in November, as he wages war against Kurdish groups in Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
Erdogan presumably hopes his ongoing “counter-terror” campaign will shake enough votes loose from the opposition, or at least suppress their vote enough for AKP to control the Parliament.
Turkey Calls For New Elections Amid Fighting With Kurds via @NPR #TwitterKurds http://t.co/4TCgRGODVO
— Mutlu Civiroglu (@mutludc) September 2, 2015
#Turkey president @RT_Erdogan likens criticims against him to betrayals during the 2nd Vienna siege against #Austria by Ottoman State
— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) September 8, 2015
Erdogan is not only targeting Kurdish groups. In recent days, he unleashed AKP shock troops on the offices of critical newspapers and on political opponents.
This is clearly an orchestrated attempt to intimidate HDP and bring them below 10% in upcoming elections. #Turkey
— Yannis Koutsomitis (@YanniKouts) September 7, 2015
Appropriately, Erdogan’s Kristallnacht is occurring on the week marking the 60th anniversary of the Istanbul pogrom that targeted religious and ethnic minorities in 1955.
Turkish slaughter of Istanbul's Greek minority in 1955: Istanbul Pogrom https://t.co/SCINPbp0YV via @YouTube
— ArchaeoNewsNet (@ArchaeoNewsNet) September 7, 2015
https://twitter.com/emeyersson/status/640872537300320256
What better way to commemorate 60th anniversary of Istanbul pogroms than having hundreds of gov supporters stone an opposition newspaper?
— Howard Eissenstat (@heissenstat) September 6, 2015
The event is complete with calls for massacres:
#OMG: “not operation we want, we want massacres” is the slogan of this crowd in Besiktas, Istanbul. Sept. 8th. https://t.co/8FpvOmZRf8
— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint) September 8, 2015
Targets in tonight’s AKP violence include the Hurriyet newspaper, and offices of the rival CHP and HDP parties:
https://twitter.com/todayszamancom/status/641325892594216960
CHP office in Sincan attacked. https://t.co/ECKscwwxsL
— Has Avrat (@hasavrat) September 8, 2015
VIDEO: Turkish nationalists burn bookstore of HDP party member in Kirsehir #Turkey – @EndezyareKurd http://t.co/EHEuabrIPK
— Conflict News (@Conflicts) September 8, 2015
#Turkey: Pro-Kurdish party HDP says party hq's in capital Ankara came under attack. Earlier, raids on Hurriyet daily – 2nd day in a row.
— Selin Girit (@selingirit) September 8, 2015
Fascists attack another headquarters of the mostly Kurdish HDP party. This time in Alanya. Sad night for #Turkey pic.twitter.com/orJSpci3PE
— Louis Fishman (@Istanbultelaviv) September 8, 2015
The U.S. Embassy in Ankara has responded with two strongly worded tweets in support of press freedom and calling for restraint in inciting violence:
(1/2) We condemn the violent attacks on #Hurriyet. #Media freedom is a bedrock principle of all democratic societies. #PressFreedom
— U.S. Embassy Turkey (@USEmbassyTurkey) September 8, 2015
(2/2) Elected officials must be careful not to appear to encourage attacks on #media. All parties should support freedom of the press.
— U.S. Embassy Turkey (@USEmbassyTurkey) September 8, 2015
One wonders what comment Obama would give regarding the behavior of Erdogan — whom Obama has cited as one of his top five international friends.
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