Anti-NATO Protests in Turkey

Protests were held in Istanbul and Izmir against the operations carried out in Ankara ahead of the NATO Summit

Istanbul

“You cannot stop the course of history—you will end up in the dustbin of history!”

The Alliance Against NATO and Imperialist War stated, “We call on everyone to join the struggle against this summit, scheduled for July 7–8,” in response to the operations carried out in Ankara ahead of the NATO Summit.

June 24, 2026

The Alliance Against NATO and Imperialist War held a press conference in front of the Süreyya Opera House in Kadıköy to protest the detention of dozens of revolutionaries and democrats during Ankara-based raids ahead of the NATO Summit.

During the statement, a banner reading “You cannot stop the anti-NATO struggle with detentions, arrests, and repression” was unfurled, while slogans such as “Withdraw from NATO, close the bases,” “Long live revolution and socialism,” and “Detentions, arrests, and repression cannot intimidate us” were chanted.

Hakan Dilmeç, who read the press statement, emphasized that following last week’s detention crackdown in Istanbul, more than 200 anti-imperialists, revolutionaries, and socialists were detained in Ankara today.

Dilmeç said, “The operations carried out in the early morning hours followed the ban announced yesterday evening by the Ministry of the Interior—aimed at ‘protecting the country’s prestige’ ahead of the NATO summit—which turned Ankara into an open-air prison.”

Noting that many “prestigious” heads of state would be hosted at the NATO Summit, Dilmeç continued: “They will come with the ‘prestige’ they’ve earned by supporting genocidal Israel. They will come with the ‘prestige’ they’ve earned by bombing and massacring 168 schoolgirls in Iran.

They will come with the ‘prestige’ they gained by installing jihadist gangs—which slaughtered Alawites, Druze, and Christians in Syria—as rulers of Syria. They will come with the ‘prestige’ they gained through the wars and massacres they waged against the liberation struggles of oppressed peoples, from Korea to Vietnam.”

Hakan Dilmeç, noting that they were reminding people that NATO is the war and civil war organization of the capitalist-imperialist order, said the following:

“Being a member of NATO means being a part of this order of exploitation and war. The history of the revolutionaries of these lands is the history of the struggle against the NATO order, and it continues uninterrupted. Neither the massacres and coups carried out throughout history, nor the detentions and arrests taking place today, have been able to stop this struggle—and they never will.”

Drawing attention to the fact that the imperialists are planning new wars, massacres, and coups amid a major crisis, Dilmeç said: “But in the face of this, the uprisings and resistance of workers, the oppressed peoples, women, and youth—both globally and on these lands—continue and will continue. No measures you take, no summits you try to convene, will change this reality.”

Dilmeç concluded his remarks as follows: “You cannot stop the course of history; you will end up in the dustbin of history. The true equality and freedom of our peoples can only be defended through the struggle against the NATO order. We call on everyone to join the struggle against this summit planned for July 7–8!”

Izmir

Protest in Izmir against raids and detention terror!

A protest was held in İzmir in response to the raids and arrests in Ankara.

June 24, 2026

A press conference was held in front of the Türkan Saylan Cultural Center in Alsancak by the “No to NATO” Coordination, of which Partizan is a member.

“Repression, bans, detentions, and arrests cannot stop our struggle! No to NATO!” During the protest, where a banner bearing this message was unfurled, the crowd frequently chanted slogans such as “Detentions, arrests, and repression cannot intimidate us,” “Imperialism will be defeated; the resisting peoples will triumph,” and “Long live our organized struggle!”

In the press statement, it was noted that the regime—which does everything to ensure the comfort and ease of imperialist thugs—has intensified its attacks against those who said “No to NATO” ahead of July 7–8.

The statement emphasized that society is being silenced and legitimate reactions are being suppressed through repression, bans, detentions, and arrests, and drew attention to the decision announced yesterday by the Ankara Governor’s Office declaring a state of emergency in Ankara for 13 days, from June 28 to July 10.

The statement noted that NATO, which is coming to Ankara on July 7–8, will make its new war decisions on this soil, and asserted that NATO—the enemy of workers, laborers, and the people—will bring hunger, destruction, and massacres to humanity and the people by devising new plans for plunder and occupation.

The statement emphasized that imperialist barbarism and NATO—an organization of aggression and war—will not be allowed to pass, concluding: “On July 7–8, we will welcome NATO in Ankara as it deserves. Once again, we call on the honorable workers and laborers of this country to unite and fight against imperialist barbarism and the NATO thugs. Those who have been detained and arrested must be released immediately! Repression, detentions, and arrests cannot intimidate us! The NATO summit must be canceled! Withdraw from NATO; close the bases!”