AKP district municipality demolishes Istanbul Municipality's mobile library for children

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A ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) municipality has prevented the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) from holding an activity for children in the Zeytinburnu district.

İBB set up a makeshift tent at a park in the district as part of activities named “We are learning with the mobile library.”

A mobile library bus belonging to the İBB has been wandering around the city, to serve children with reading opportunities with fresh air and social distancing.

The AKP-run Zeytinburnu municipality however ordered the cancellation of the event, with its officials ousting the children from the tent and taking away the equipment.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Zeytinburnu district deputy chair Süleyman Dağ released a video footage showing AKP municipality officials telling children to leave the area.

“It is now children who have been exposed to the discriminative and marginalizing implementations of AKP municipalities. We are condemning Zeytinburnu municipality's shameful act,” Dağ wrote on Twitter.

In response, Zeytinburnu municipality wrote on Twitter that the İBB had not received permission for the event.

CHP Istanbul chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu also released the images, saying no one should “sacrifice children for political ambition.”

“This is a manifestation of an understanding that cannot see citizens, feel these children's happiness. We will get rid of this understanding together, very soon,” Kaftancıoğlu tweeted, sharing a hashtag that calls for early elections.

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