Police forces have staged a crackdown on masses heading to Bakırköy Halk Pazarı (Public Market) area for celebrations to mark the Kurdish New Year, Newroz despite the ban imposed by the AKP ruling.

Seven people were taken into custody outside the HDP office in Demirkapı neighborhood of Bağcılar district. Özgür Gündem reporter Elif Aydoğdu and Özgür Halk magazine staff Mazlum Gökguz were also detained and taken to a police station.

Police teams have in the meantime laid a siege on almost all HDP offices, and started a mass detention operation in an attempt to hinder massive participation in the Newroz event.

There is a heavy police siege around HDP Bahçelievler disrict office where HDP co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ, DBP co-chair Kamuran Yüksek, HDP deputies Filiz Kerestecioğlu and Pervin Buldan are. Journalists without yellow press card are not allowed access to the area.

While 7 more people were detained in Bakırköy, Voice of America employee Zozan Yaşar was battered by police while covering the developments in the district. Police teams are performing criminal record check on people passing by the area.

Buses carrying people from Gazi neighborhood to Newroz area were also stopped and blocked by armored vehicles. Police seized the key of a bus, upon which people have decided to go to the area with personal cars.

3 more people were detained in Esenyurt where hundreds of others were gathering for Newroz celebration. Here, police seized the press cards of Özgür Gündem daily Fırat Yeşilçınar and JİNHA reporter Özlem Çiçek, and broke the memory cards of their cameras after deleting all images.

Another police attack targeted 200 people who gathered in Sancaktepe's Sarıgazi neighborhood before heading to Bakırköy to join the celebration. The people here started to walk to HDP Sancaktepe district office after the restriction of their cars by police forces.

Police teams are also conducting searches in the cars they stop at the entry and exit points of Sarıgazi.

Those gathering near İncirli bridge were similarly attacked by police twice.

HDP co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ and DBP co-chair Kamuran Yüksek made a statement to the press outside the HDP Bahçelievler office upon the denial by police of access for journalists.

Yüksekdağ criticised the bans imposed on Newroz celebrations across Istanbul, and stressed that these bans will not hinder the people from welcoming the Newroz. HDP co-chair invited all people to join the celebration in which HDP officials will also take place.