Streets of London showcase Turkish resistance to defeated 2016 coup

By Behlul Cetinkaya

LONDON (AA) - Vehicles showcasing visuals and texts about the Turkish people's resistance and struggle against the defeated 2016 coup attempt roamed the streets of London on Saturday, capturing the attention of both locals and tourists.

The LED screen vehicles navigated areas near state institutions, Parliament, and various historical and touristic landmarks, telling of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization’s (FETO) July 15, 2016 coup attempt and the Turkish people’s successful struggle to quash the putschists.

Starting from the iconic Piccadilly Square, the vehicles continued their tour through notable locations such as Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge, and Hyde Park.

Prominently displayed on the vehicles were the phrases "Victory of Democracy" and "Heroes of the Century of Türkiye," accompanied by an award-winning photo taken by Anadolu photojournalist Elif Ozturk on Istanbul’s July 15 Martyrs Bridge.

Türkiye will also hold a panel in London marking the anniversary of the country's defeated 2016 coup, the state Communications Directorate said on Tuesday.

Communications Director Fahrettin Altun is expected to address the panel, called "Türkiye’s Victory of Democracy," set to be held next Monday.

Turkish Ambassador to London Osman Karay Ertas and Qurban Hussain, a member of the British House of Lords, are also expected to speak during the panel.

The defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded, was plotted and carried out by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its US-based leader Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen has long lived in the US state of Pennsylvania. Turkish leaders have long sought his extradition, but US judicial officials have not approved it.