Organisers say over 10,000 marched in Antalya during COP31 climate talks

A rally at the conference midpoint

Thousands of people marched in Antalya at the midpoint of the UN climate conference, COP31, which runs until 20 November. Reports published on 14 November describe a route from the Aydin Kanza Park to the Republic Square, about one kilometre away. Organisers said more than 10,000 people took part peacefully and that the march had been agreed with the authorities. Turkish authorities usually do not publish attendance figures, so the organisers' count cannot be checked independently. Environmental activists, trade unions, civil society groups and opposition parties joined, and protesters chanted about the climate crisis, air, water and land.

Nil Ormanli of the event's organising committee told dpa that the turnout was unusual for Turkey.

“For a long time there has not been a protest in Turkey with this kind of participation.”

Protest limits and detentions

Turkish authorities often ban large gatherings, particularly those critical of the government, according to dpa. During the NATO summit in Ankara in July, they imposed a sweeping demonstration ban and detained dozens of people. At the entrance to the cordoned route, police checked bags, posters and banners. A 15-year-old boy said he had hidden his rainbow flag because police would take it anyway, and he carried a Palestinian flag as well. Several rainbow flags were nonetheless visible along the route. Nationwide raids took place in September, including on LGBTQ associations.

On Tuesday, 10 November, an employee of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, a woman, was briefly detained on suspicion of espionage and placed under an exit ban.

Government and a parallel civil society summit

At the start of the conference, asked by journalists about past detentions, Murat Kurum, Turkey's environment minister and president of the summit, said peaceful demonstrations are allowed. He added that Turkey is one of the fairest countries in the world in this respect.

“That is why there are no arrests at a peaceful demonstration in Turkey.”

At the same time, the People's Climate Summit began in Antalya, bringing together hundreds of civil society groups from Turkey and abroad. Co-organiser Süheyla Doğan told dpa that the forum should give local groups and experts, who find it hard to make their voices heard in official UN talks, a platform. Participants plan to discuss environmental degradation, phasing out fossil fuels and democracy. Doğan represents an organisation protecting the Kazdağları mountain massif in western Turkey. She doubted the host country's readiness for decisive climate action, pointing to plans to expand a coal power plant.

Reactions from Germany

Claudia Roth, a Green member of the Bundestag and former state minister for culture, showed rainbow socks before the march. She urged Turkish security forces to show restraint and warned against assaults and arrests. Luisa Neubauer of Fridays for Future said her group stood in solidarity with a civil society that fights passionately while facing heavy repression. She said the rally showed that Turkey, as host, should not be allowed to whitewash its human rights record. Neubauer added that organisers had dropped controversial signs and banners so as not to endanger anyone.

“It works very well, this kind of repression machinery.”

Neubauer warned that local demonstrators could face consequences once international activists and journalists leave, which is why her group takes part with mixed feelings.