The Conscience and Justice Watch of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) started today in Van after Amed and Istanbul, and the whole city is under a police blockade. The police have surrounded the HDP office and the watch area with water cannons and panzer vehicles. The gathering crowds were attacked and not allowed to get close.

Despite all obstacles, HDP members marched from the party offices to the park and past the barricades. Tensions remain high in and around the park and journalists are not allowed inside.

Two people who clapped and chanted for the MPs marching to the Musa Anter Peace Park for the Conscience and Justice Watch were detained. Citizens gather close to the park but police push them away. The police also did not allow the mass march.

As HDP Spokesperson Osman Baydemir and HDP MPs marched to the park, police threatened people not to clap their hands but the MPs were greeted by applause along the way.

First citizen to be detained for clapping had protested the police and chanted “conscience and justice”, after which he was taken in custody.

YELLOW PRESS CARD OBLIGATION

MPs reached the barricaded off park and entered the area, accompanied by applause. Another clapping citizen was battered and detained by the entrance of the park here. HDP’s provincial and district administrators were not allowed into the park either. No journalists are allowed into the area or to record footage from around the park without a yellow press card, which many non-pro-government journalists can’t obtain. MPs are discussing whether to hold the group meeting in the park or not.

AKP IS WORRIED

The Conscience and Justice Watch launched by the HDP has the AKP worried. People who wanted to join the watch demonstrations in Amed and Istanbul had been detained and participants were pressured and physically assaulted. In Istanbul, police had attacked the HDP MPs. The government does not like HDP meeting with the people.