Police overkill

[Fesenjan123]

I never knew they were so many Police Officers here. Where do they all go for the other 364 days of the year? Only coming out in their hundreds for the Kurdish families who gather at the picnic site in Iskele to celebrate Newroz - Kurdish New Year. These families are confined by railings and a huge police presence, to a specific picnic area. What a sad state of affairs. We drove past the lines of police just standing watching these people trying to enjoy their celebrations. Their children are not even allowed to use the new playground further down the seafront. Disgraceful.
The police would make better use of their time actually enforcing the law with the death drivers on these roads, rather than trying to spoil the celebrations of innocent families.

[sophie]

Its pure unadulterated racism, which we are assured does not exist here.

[silverfir]

My first impression was that a large group of Kurdish families may be vulnerable to a numbskull with an agenda. Wouldn't a large police presence perhaps make these families more secure whilst enjoying their celebration?

[elizabeth]

Our neighbour who is a policeman in Lapta was on duty in Iskele yesterday , I wonder who was looking after Lapta at the time !

[Fesenjan123]

That is a possibility Silverfir but I'm not convinced. This was an intimidating show of strength by a ridiculous amount of police officers. There surely can't have been any officers on duty in any other part of the country. I even wondered if they had brought some over from Turkey. I wish I could have taken photos. They could have been present but far more discreet. I really felt sorry for the Kurdish families who were trying to enjoy their picnic surrounded by police so near to them, just standing and staring. I think if anything, the police presence may have made them feel very insecure.

[silverfir]

fesenjan, point taken