Turkey cities join spirit of historic Istanbul rally

ANKARA

Turkish citizens on Sunday took to the streets and squares all across the country to share in the spirit of Democracy and Martyrs' Rally held in Istanbul in protest against the July 15 defeated coup.

Tens of thousands gathered in the July 15 Kizilay Democracy Square, the capital Ankara's main public square, to support the historic rally in Yenikapi, Istanbul. The citizens watched the rally live on giant screens set up in the area as they waved more than 150,000 Turkish flags supplied by Ankara Metropolitan Municipality.

Thousands more flocked to Konak Square in western Izmir province to chant slogans against Fetullah Terror Organization (FETO) that organized the coup attempt while citizens of Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic origin, as well as Syrian refugees, came together in Rabia Square of southeastern Sanliurfa province.

A 209-meter Turkish flag was carried by the citizens in the streets of eastern Bingol province.

The coup attempt was protested in dozens of Turkish cities on Sunday. The Yenikapi event, which became the first venue where ruling and opposition party leaders shared the same platform, is the highlight of weeks of democracy rallies held in cities across the country since the defeated coup, which led to 240 martyrs and wounded nearly 2,200 people.

Turkey’s government has said the coup was organized by the followers of Fetullah Gulen, leader of FETO who has lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. since 1999. Ankara has formally asked Washington for his extradition.