Turkish PM calls on Turks to take to the streets

ANKARA

Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim Sunday called on the Turkish people to take to the streets nationwide to celebrate democracy and the defeat of Friday’s attempted coup.

“We will continue the democracy watch everywhere, especially in Ankara’s Kizilay [Square] and Istanbul’s Taksim [Square], in a festive mood,” Yildirim told reporters after visiting Turkey’s state broadcaster TRT, which was briefly seized by pro-coup soldiers on Friday night.

The premier called on Turks to be calm. “Let’s avoid giving extreme responses amid the rush and newness of the event,” he said.

He urged people to distinguish between soldiers who love their country and members of the terrorist group FETO or “parallel state,” inside the army.

“They [FETO members] are not soldiers,” he said: “They are thugs who do not even blink to kill people, fire guns, or drive tanks over them ruthlessly.”

The Turkish government said the failed coup was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the government through supporters within the Turkish state, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Thousands of people took to the streets across Turkey on Saturday to celebrate democracy’s victory over the failed putsch by the FETO terrorist group.