Not all happy with Obama
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hurriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 08, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Despite the heavy rain Monday evening, two separate groups protesting NATO and the arrival of U.S. President Barack Obama to Turkey congregated on Istanbul’s central İstiklal Street.
Although the groups were tiny, they attracted the attention of passing tourists and people who share the protesters’ beliefs but do not usually join such demonstrations.
"I was passing by and stopped to look," said translator Sevcan Özcan, 23. "I thought the protesters are somewhat right. The U.S. has not withdrawn from Iraq, and I think that it will continue to support Israel. Palestine is already a weak state, and Israel is so strong it produces its own weapons of mass destruction." But despite all this, Özcan said she wants to be hopeful about the election of an African American to the presidency of the United States.
’Getting better’
Rebecca Hunt, an American citizen living in Austria, was on her first visit to Turkey, arriving just a couple of days before. She came across the protests while walking on İstiklal Street. "I learned that Obama was coming to Turkey last night," she said, noting that "everything is closing down" because of the security measures. "It is interesting, though. I think it is getting better," she added. "I think world feeling is better about Bush being gone and Obama being in."
The Labor Party, or EMEP, first gathered at Galatasaray and chanted slogans against the United States, including "We would not be American soldiers" and "Murderer U.S., get out of the Middle East," before marching on İstiklal Street. "We believe that Obama is here to demand soldiers for Afghanistan," said Barış, 18, a protester who declined to give his surname. Barış added that the protest did not express nationalistic sentiments, saying, "It is anti-imperialist, anti-militarist, anti-capitalist and internationalist."
Meanwhile, riot police yesterday detained a small group of protesters near a building where Obama was present.
"I was passing by and stopped to look," said translator Sevcan Özcan, 23. "I thought the protesters are somewhat right. The U.S. has not withdrawn from Iraq, and I think that it will continue to support Israel. Palestine is already a weak state, and Israel is so strong it produces its own weapons of mass destruction." But despite all this, Özcan said she wants to be hopeful about the election of an African American to the presidency of the United States.
’Getting better’
Rebecca Hunt, an American citizen living in Austria, was on her first visit to Turkey, arriving just a couple of days before. She came across the protests while walking on İstiklal Street. "I learned that Obama was coming to Turkey last night," she said, noting that "everything is closing down" because of the security measures. "It is interesting, though. I think it is getting better," she added. "I think world feeling is better about Bush being gone and Obama being in."
The Labor Party, or EMEP, first gathered at Galatasaray and chanted slogans against the United States, including "We would not be American soldiers" and "Murderer U.S., get out of the Middle East," before marching on İstiklal Street. "We believe that Obama is here to demand soldiers for Afghanistan," said Barış, 18, a protester who declined to give his surname. Barış added that the protest did not express nationalistic sentiments, saying, "It is anti-imperialist, anti-militarist, anti-capitalist and internationalist."
Meanwhile, riot police yesterday detained a small group of protesters near a building where Obama was present.