Thousands gather for rally in support of Palestinians in Turkey

Last Updated on January 5, 2025 6:11 am

A huge rally was held in Istanbul, Turkey, in support of Palestinians, victims of Israeli aggression. Thousands of people gathered on the Galata Bridge in the center of Istanbul on Wednesday (January 1).

This information was reported by Daily Sabah in a report.

The rally was organized by the National Will Platform. It brought together about 400 civil society organizations. The protest was led by the Turkish Youth Foundation.

Authorities closed the main road leading to the bridge before the rally. Some protesters took boats to the port near the bridge, while the rest walked.

Early this morning, many protesters gathered outside Istanbul’s iconic mosques near the bridge, from the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque to Sultanahmet (Blue Mosque), and performed the dawn prayer.

Then they moved towards the rally site, waving Turkish and Palestinian flags. They were seen holding banners reading “Stop the Massacre in Gaza” and “A Sun is Rising.”

Youth and Sports Minister Osman Askin Bak, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kasir and Trade Minister Omer Bolat were among those attending the rally. Also present were former Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop, Free Cause Party leader Zekeriya Yapıcioğlu and ruling Justice and Development Party Central Executive Committee member Mahir Unal, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son Bilal Erdogan, who serves as the chairperson of the Ilim Yama Foundation and a member of the High Advisory Board of the Turkish Youth Foundation.