A group of around 100 racists attacked the office of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) in the Serik district of Antalya last night. The office was only opened two days ago. The group threatened the HDP members, saying: “You either close down the office and take down the signboard, or we do it and set the building on fire”.

The attackers came to the office at around 10 o’clock last night and threatened the members of the HDP who were still in the office. The group first left the building, then returned with stones and iron bars in their hands and reiterated their threat to set the office on fire if the signboard was not taken down. The group then started to throw stones at the building. As the HDP executives and people arrived, the racist group had to step back, but gathered again in front of the building.

The police then had to take security measures in and around the building, while the HDP Antalya branch co-chair Zarife Atik, HDP Antalya MP candidate Deniz Yıldırım and the Serik district governor as well as the head of the police in the district came to the scene. 

The district governor of Serik told the HDP Antalya branch co-chair Atik that Serik is a sensitive place and that it would be better if the HDP closed down its office. HDP MP candidate Deniz Yıldırım responded, saying that it is the duty of the governor to ensure the security of a legal political party in conducting its political work and guarantee election security for all.

The HDP Antalya branch co-chair Atik said that tension continued as the police did not prevent the group attacking the party office, adding that what happened in Serik was a planned provocation just like the one in Agri and added that thanks to the sensitivity of the local people, the provocation had not achieved its goal.

The group waited in front of the building until early morning, while the HDP executives filed complaints about the attackers at the district police headquarters.