Turkish democracy celebrated on London’s streets
On Saturday, vehicles equipped with LED screens displayed visuals and texts highlighting the Turkish people’s resistance against the defeated 2016 coup attempt. These vehicles roamed the streets of London, capturing the attention of both locals and tourists.
Highlighting key locations
Starting from the iconic Piccadilly Square, the vehicles continued their journey through significant landmarks such as Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge, and Hyde Park. The LED screens narrated the story of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization’s (FETO) coup attempt on July 15, 2016, and the Turkish people’s successful struggle to quash the putschists.
“Victory and Heroism”
Prominent phrases displayed on the vehicles included “Victory of Democracy” and “Heroes of the Century of Türkiye.” These messages were accompanied by an award-winning photo taken by Anadolu photojournalist Elif Ozturk on Istanbul’s July 15 Martyrs Bridge.
Upcoming panel discussion
In addition to the street displays, Türkiye will hold a panel in London to mark the anniversary of the country’s defeated coup attempt.
The state Communications Directorate announced that the panel, titled “Türkiye’s Victory of Democracy,” will be held next Monday. Communications Director Fahrettin Altun is expected to address the event, along with Turkish Ambassador to London Osman Karay Ertas and Qurban Hussain, a member of the British House of Lords.
Background on the coup attempt
Gulenist Terror Group (FETO) has clandestinely conducted its activities in Türkiye since the 1960s, culminating in the coup attempt of July 15, 2016 which resulted in the death of 252 people and left 2,735 others injured. The attempt was foiled by a rare instance of public resistance to putschists. Since 2016, FETO has been recognized as a terrorist organization by the likes of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Pakistan. The group’s leader, Fetullah Gulen, resides in Pennsylvania, the United States with talks of extradition still ongoing.
