Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Istanbul Women's Assembly was set to make a press statement in Bakırköy Cumhuriyet Square as part of the "Justice for Women" campaign.

The police surrounded the women who included HDP Istanbul MP Züleyha Gülüm and HDP Istanbul provincial branch co-chair Elif Bulut.

The women responded to the police, asking; "Are there no pandemic restrictions for the AKP rallies, but for women?"

The women pointed out that the AKP-MHP government targeted March 8, saying, "Thousands will take to the streets on Women’s Day. Our struggle will continue."

MP Züleyha Gülüm spoke in the name of the group and announced the launch of March 8 activities by HDP Women’s Assembly. She denounced the arbitrary police ban on their gathering and the attempts of the police and judiciary to make women’s struggle invisible.

Gülüm said: “As we raise our struggle for freedom and challenge the male domination and violence, we are faced with the detentions and arrests by the government. The government keeps our women politicians in prisons. Leyla Güven, Sebahat Tuncel and Figen Yüksekdağ are currently in prison since they promote women's freedom. Even if you arrest our female friends and try to prevent our struggle, we will continue to grow our women's rebellion, inside and outside, wherever we are, and we will not give up our position on women's freedom."