Dozens Arrested in Kurdish Newroz Gathering in Istanbul

Turkish police used tear gas and plastic bullets on Sunday to disperse hundreds of Kurdish citizens gathered in Istanbul to celebrate Newroz. Following a suicide attack on Saturday in Istanbul, any form of gathering in the city has been declared prohibited. According to a report by AFP, citing eyewitnesses, dozens were arrested during clashes between the police and protesters in the Bakirkoy neighborhood of Istanbul. Kurds make up 18% of Turkey's population, and like other Iranian ethnic groups, the celebration of Newroz and the arrival of spring is of particular importance to them. In the wake of the suicide attack on Saturday noon in Istanbul, a ban on gatherings has also been declared in several other cities in Turkey, with security concerns following recent attacks in various cities including Ankara and Istanbul cited as the reason for these security measures. The gathering in Istanbul on Sunday was organized by the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), a pro-Kurdish party that holds 80 parliamentary seats and quickly condemned both recent attacks in Ankara and Istanbul. Eyewitness reports indicate that during the clashes on Sunday, police initially prevented a speech by a parliament member from the HDP and then attempted to disperse the protesters using tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons. Meanwhile, it was announced on Sunday that due to security measures, the Istanbul football derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe has been postponed. The Istanbul governor stated that the reason for the postponement of the match, which was scheduled for Sunday, was 'reliable information' about a potential attack. Turkish television networks reported that this decision was made after the Istanbul governor met with city sports officials. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the Saturday noon attack in Istanbul, but Turkey's Interior Minister stated that the bomber was a 24-year-old Turkish citizen named 'Mohammad Ozturk,' who was linked to the Islamic State. This explosion, in addition to the suicide bomber, claimed the lives of four others, three of whom were Israeli and the fourth an Iranian citizen. According to Turkish officials, among the 37 injured in this incident, 12 were foreign tourists, including three Iranians.