Thousands of people met at Kartal Square in Istanbul for the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) rally organised by the Istanbul Provincial Party section on Sunday.

The square had been covered with HDP flags and banners and the people started to fill the area hours before the rally actually begun.

A giant poster of HDP presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtas was hung on the stage and people danced for hours.

HDP Istanbul 1st District candidates joined the rally, together with a large number of political parties, civil society and religious organizations, representatives of local associations. Many people in the square was wearing a mask with Demirtaş face.

Slogans filled the air: ‘It changes with you’, ‘HDP is the people, the people are here’, ‘Demirtaş for President’, ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadi’ (Women, Life, Freedom) and ‘Bijî Serok Apo’ (Long live President Apo).

A banner was opened saying: ‘To get the Parliament from the hands of the AKP, vote HDP, vote Demirtaş’.

Speaking at the rally, HDP Istanbul Provincial co-chair, Esengül Demir, conveyed the greetings of jailed HDP Presidential candidate and of jailed Van deputy, Cengiz Çiçek.

Demir said: “On 24 June we will end the job we started on 7 June” and added that it was important to guarantee the safety of the polls.