Five people were slightly injured in a racially motivated attack on a Green Left Party van in the southern Turkish coastal province of Mersin on Sunday, May 7. The attackers, armed with clubs and knives, beat the speaker's van and five of its occupants through open windows. They also slashed several tires.

The Green Left Party Mersin Provincial Organization made a press statement concerning the racist attacks they have been subjected to during the election campaign.

The executives of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the Workers' Party of Turkey (TIP) participated in the press briefing in front of the party office.

The Green Left Party Mersin Spokeswoman, Zeliha Burcu Acar, said that the racist attacks and violence directed against them were orchestrated by the AKP-MHP government.

Acar said: "The AKP and MHP fascist alliance have already seen that they will lose the elections. That's why they are doing what they know best: resorting to violence. They are trying to intimidate us, to crumple our success. But we will not give up and we will win together with the people.”

Acar continued: “In the May 14 elections, people will give the necessary answer to those who try to harm the peace and tranquillity in the country.”

Acar listed the attacks that have targeted the party since May 1 as follows:

* On May 1, the attack that involved HÜDA-PAR members conducting an election campaign in the Çay neighbourhood was falsely associated with our party in an attempt to create provocation.

* On May 3, we urged our people to remain calm in the face of an attempt to attack our administrators in the Viranşehir neighborhood in Mezitli district. We anticipated that such provocations would develop.

* On May 6, the Mayor of Akdeniz district, Mustafa Gültak, targeted the HDP party assembly members in a speech he delivered to a television channel at an AKP rally. However, what was at stake, of course, was public land made available to a supporter. Insisting on his corrupt policies despite the warning of our party members to "defend the property and rights of the people", Gültak tried to cover up the corruption by citing "national values".

* A racist mob affiliated with the government ally MHP carried out a fascist attack against our fellow party members in the Tarsus district yesterday noon. While our party members did not respond to the attack and remained calm, 5 of them were injured by the racist group.

* On the same day, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and CHP campaigners were attacked with stones in Erzurum province. These attacks against the people will remain futile."