site.btaPro-Palestine Rally in Istanbul Draws Over Half a Million on New Year's Day

A rally in support of Palestine marked the first day of the new year in Istanbul, drawing some 520,000 participants, according to Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber. 

Participants carried Turkish and Palestinian flags, as well as banners in Turkish and English reading "Justice for Palestine, Conscience for the World." At times, the crowd chanted "Allahu Akbar" and slogans including "Long Live the Global Intifada" and "Murderer Israel, Get Out of Palestine."

Many participants who gathered on boats in the waters of the Bosphorus also waved flags and chanted slogans.

The rally was organized by dozens of civil society organizations, led by the Foundation for the Dissemination of Knowledge - where Bilal Erdogan, the son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, holds a senior position - and the National Will Platform.

Representatives of Turkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) also attended the demonstration, including Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli, Youth and Sports Minister Osman Askin Bak, and Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir.

The rally was also joined by Istanbul Governor Davut Gul and AKP Deputy Chair Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, as well as MPs and mayors from the ruling party.

Several leading sports clubs - Besiktas, Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, and Trabzonspor - also took part, Turkish media outlets reported.

At the centre of the Galata Bridge, which connects the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, demonstrators raised dozens of posters reading "We will not be intimidated! We will not be silenced! We will not forget Palestine!" accompanied by chants from thousands of participants.

Bilal Erdogan was quoted by Turkish media outlets as saying that this year’s turnout was even higher than last year’s. "On the one hand, we are praying for the oppressed in Palestine. On the other hand, of course, we are commemorating our martyrs. At the same time, we are praying together that the year 2026 will bring goodness for our entire nation and for the oppressed Palestinians," he added.

The demonstration concluded without incident. Traffic in Istanbul, which had been temporarily disrupted by the event, was subsequently restored.

The previous rally in support of Palestinians, held on January 1, 2025, drew some 450,000 participants.