Trustees appointed to the DBP municipalities gift the resources of the people’s municipalities to their supporters while firing hundreds of municipal workers. The trustees on orders from the AKP took it one step further and started to attack the people. The newly hired municipal police officers are adding to the violence imposed upon the people of the region by the national police.

Municipal police officers in the Ipekyolu Municipality used batons and pepper spray against shopkeepers and the people even though it is prohibited. The people have taken up self defense in the face of violence by the municipal police.

The shopkeepers and the people retaliated the attacks and said the trustee and his men don’t belong in Van: “These people are here just to exploit our hometown. They occupied our municipalities, and now they are attacking us. From now on, we as citizens will answer as necessary all attacks by the trustees. Van is not alone.”