Masses joined a march in Mardin in protest at the usurpation of the municipality and appointment of a trustee to replace the democratically elected co-mayors on 4 November.

Police forces blockaded the DEM Party Office and the Karayolları Park, where the march was set to kick off, and prevented masses from gathering.

The people managed to overcome the police barrier and started to march through the city centre, after which the police had to close the road to traffic.

The deposed co-mayors of Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, Ahmet Türk and Devrim Demir, Co-Mayor of Van Metropolitan Municipality Abdullah Zeydan, DEM Party MPs and other co-mayors also participated in the march.

Speaking after the march, co-mayor Ahmet Türk said that the resistance of the Kurdish people for a free life and an honourable peace will always continue. Emphasising that the Kurdish people will claim their rights, future and freedom despite the dirty games of the state, Türk said: “The Kurdish people will embrace their will and will not accept the trustee politics. Pursuing a dirty politics, the rulers are extending a hand on one side, and keeping a stick on the other side. With this stick they want to silence the voice of the Kurdish people, they want the Kurdish people to give up their free life, identity and rights. This is the third time you have appointed trustees. But the people do not accept it, and they oppose your politics every time. They will continue to do so.”

Emphasising that the government’s policy of intimidating the Kurdish people is coming to naught, Türk said: “The Kurds are a politicised people. No one can deceive the Kurdish people, nor can they ever turn them back from their struggle. Everyone needs to know this. We are raising hope. We are raising peace. We are raising the future. We are raising freedoms. Know this and act accordingly. If you are talking about peace in this country, if you are really in search of peace, our people are ready, our politics are ready, we are always there for peace. But we are not to be deceived. This should be known very well.”

Addressing the government, Ahmet Türk said, “What are you bringing to the table of peace? What is your road map? You don't have an explanation on this issue. But you bring up different projects to deceive us, to silence us. Tomorrow they will argue that ‘we extended our hand of peace but they didn't take our hand of peace’ and try to put pressure on the Kurdish people again. We are aware of this, but we will not swallow it. We defend the brotherhood of peoples in this country. We are based on living together in this country. But free and fair. Cegerxwîn has a saying; ‘bi minnet em naçin cinnet, serbest û azad em diherim cehennem / We do not go to heaven with gratitude, we go to hell freely.’ This should be known like this.”

Co-mayor Devrim Demir thanked the people for the protests and resistance that have been going on for 6 days and said, “These dark forces will be defeated, we will triumph. We know what a trustee is. For 8 years we have seen and watched the practices of the trustees together. Trusteeship is plunder, theft, confiscation of the will of the people. We have all witnessed this.”

Demir continued, “Trustee is an attack on women's struggle for freedom. Trustee is hostility to our municipalism model. Everyone should know well that we will not step back from the women's struggle for freedom, our municipal model, or the struggle. They cannot make us take a step back with these dirty policies and theft politics. Just as we did not bow down in Van, they will be defeated and we will triumph. No one can stand in front of this will. We appeal to those who pursue this dirty policy; hands off the will of this people, hands off the municipalities. Hand over the people's municipality to the people, end your dirty policy. End this occupation politics. For 100 years you have not got anywhere with this politics, and you will not get anywhere with this politics for another 100 years. Even if another 100 years pass, the Kurdish people will stand against the genocide policies with all their strength and will. I call out once again from here; take your hand off the will of the people and get out of here.”

DEM Party MP Beritan Güneş Altın and GAB Union of Municipalities Co-Chair Siraç Çelik also called for respect for the will of the people.

Van Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Abdullah Zeydan stated that the hearts and strength of millions of Kurds demanding peace and democracy were with them. Noting that the Kurdish people came out victorious in the 31 March local elections by joining hands despite persecution and oppression, Zeydan said, “We gave a great answer to the government and made our municipalities the municipalities of the people again.

Despite all its persecution and oppression, the state could not succeed against the struggle and will of the Kurdish people who want peace. Today, they are again trying to suppress the will of the Kurdish people by force and oppression. Neither the Kurdish people nor other peoples who want peace will accept this. For this reason, the Kurdish people claim their will in every street and every square. The 8-year practice of the trusteeship is obvious. They have done nothing but theft, plunder and oppression. For this reason, the Kurdish people surrendered their will to their party. For 6 months they have tried to tie our hands in every way. Despite this, co-mayors Ahmet Türk and Devrim Demir tried to serve everyone.”

“No services were provided for the Kurdish, Arab and Syriac people for 8 years. They appointed trustees to continue their theft. No occupier is bigger than the people. The people stand with their party today. If we protect our will, we can once again take our will from the trustees. We are millions and we will win again. The peoples will rule our municipality once again,” Zeydan concluded.