As a part of HDP’s “Don’t Stop, Stop Fascism” campaign thousands of people gathered together in Station Square in Diyarbakir. The campaign was launched by HDP to raise awareness about the imprisoned MPs including party’s co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag.

Despite Turkish police’s blockade thousands of HPD supporters filled the area chanting “down with fascism!”

In the beginning of the meeting, the crowd observed one-minute silence to commemorate the victims of the bombing attack in 2015 on the same spot.

Local co-chair of HDP Gulsen Ozer spoke in the event and said “We are crying out loud our demands for freedom, peace and justice. You can’t silence us. (…) We will bring peace and freedom to this country. You can’t stay in front of that.”

HDP’s Diyarbakir co-chair Cabbar Laygara also spoke at the meeting. Citing the resistance tradition of Diyarbakir Laygara said “The torch of resistance against fascism was lit here in Amed. HDP is the only party which will bring fascism into account. HDP is the strongest barricade against fascism. (..) We will not bow.”

After Laygara’s speech, the crowd chanted “Struggle is life” and “Long Live Leader Apo”.

The imprisoned ex-co-chair of HDP, Figen Yuksekdag sent a written message to the meeting.

“The antidote of fascism is courage (…) On behalf of all imprisoned elected representatives, I salute all women, youth and our people who hold their head high and resist despite all the pain and atrocities” the statement read.

Yuksekdag condemned the attack against the funeral of Hatun Tugluk, mother of politician Aysel Tugluk and called everyone to raise the struggle against a regime which is afraid of the dead.

After Yuksekdag's message, HPD co-chair Serpil Kemalbay spoke at the meeting. Underlining the need for peace in Turkey, Kemalbay said "We struggled at the time of 12 September coup, we struggled in 90s and we are struggling now. Today we are closer to victory. To build a new life, to break the isolation of Abdullah Ocalan, for a democratic solution we need to raise our struggle."

Kemalbay called Turkish government to lift the isolation on Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan said that its not possible to destroy Ocalan's democratic solution project or erase him from people's hearts. 

She also called all "democratic powers" to stand with HDP against the one-man regime in Turkey.