‘Our banner was stolen by pro-coup members of the bar’

A banner reading “Pro-coup bar, welcome to Taksim” was hung by Hayri İnce and Ragıp Soylu on the Taksim Square Hotel to demonstrate their stance against members of the İstanbul Bar Association who took to the streets to protest the alleged wiretapping of telephones of members of the high judiciary despite Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin having dismissed the claims.

İnce and Zorlu planned to hang the banner just two hours before the lawyers’ protest started. They rented a room at the hotel and unfurled the banner as the protesters walked past the hotel. Their action has since brought the Young Civilian into the spotlight again.

İnci and Zorlu, speaking with Today’s Zaman on Wednesday, said when the lawyers saw the banner, they got angry and rushed to the room to take the banner. İnce and Zorlu were rescued from the assault by police when they tried to leave the hotel. The two were detained and stayed at the police station for five hours.

“They came into our room, which is considered private property, and stole our banner,” İnce said, adding that the attack was led by Turkey Youth Union (TGB) head Adnan Türkkan, who was detained as part an investigation into Ergenekon, a clandestine organization believed to have plotted to overthrow the democratically elected government through provocative actions.

“It was fortunate that they had no fuel with them when we left the room. Had that been the case, another Madımak incident would have happened,” İnce said, alluding to an assault on several intellectuals in 1993 at the Madımak Hotel in Sivas. He added that had the police not stopped the attackers, he and Zorlu would have been lynched.

Not against bar members, but against double standards

Explaining why the Young Civilians protested against the İstanbul Bar Association, Soylu said the bar had organized protests against the Ergenekon trial before they had any concrete evidence about those in custody as part of the Ergenekon investigation -- and in particular suspects İbrahim Şahin and Tuncer Kılıç.

Soylu pointed to the bar’s double standard, saying it voiced criticism against the alleged illegal wiretapping of high judiciary members but kept silent over torture and human rights violations. “Our protest does not target all members of the bar, only those who hold these double standards,” Soylu added.

Recalling remarks made by Muammer Aydın, the bar association’s chairman who said they are opposed to both civilian and military coups, İnce noted, “We appreciate their decision to fight for their freedoms and rights -- even though they are only looking out for their own freedoms -- and welcome them to Taksim Square.”