Main opposition municipality cancels folk singer's concert upon Gray Wolves' attacks, threats

Folk singer Suavi's Victory Day concert planned to be held in Konya province was canceled by the main opposition CHP municipality after the threats of Gray Wolves. The far-right group had also raided the singer's previous concert and shouted threats.

Thursday August 22 2024 12:53 pm

Duvar English

The concert of folk singer Suavi to be organized by Seydişehir District Municipality of central Anatolian Konya province for the Aug. 30 Victory Day celebrations was canceled upon the threats of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party’s youth branch Gray Wolves.

Akın Bozkurt, the head of the district organization of the Gray Wolves, stated that they had met with the main opposition Republican People's Party led municipality about the cancellation of the concert, according to local news source Seydişehir'in Sesi.

The Gray Wolves stated that they met with the municipality to request the cancellation of Suavi's concert on the grounds that it did not align with "national sensitivities."

Following these meetings, the Seydişehir Municipality canceled the concert, and the far-right group claimed that "the wound in the national conscience was closed before it could grow."

Suavi's lawyer made a statement on the issue on social media and said, “Suavi's concert was unilaterally canceled by the CHP's Seydişehir Municipality Mayor under the influence of lies and hatred, which was tried to be put on the agenda with the statements of MHP and (the ruling Justice and Development Party) AKP district executives.”

The lawyers called the headquarters of the CHP to take swift responsibility regarding issue.

Seydişehir Belediye başkanının müvekkilimiz Suavi'nin konserini ülkü ocakları ve AKP ilçe teşkilatı baskıları üzerine iptal etmesi hakkında açıklamamızdır: pic.twitter.com/5J6tYAqvRT
— Bişar Alınak & Partners (@BA_PartnersLaw) August 22, 2024

What happened?

The previous concert given by the musician Suavi at an event organized by Istanbul's Beykoz District Municipality was tried to be prevented by Gray Wolves who raided the concert while throwing their infamous hand signs and shouting far-right slogans.

The attackers throw the infamous Gray Wolves' hand sign previously seen in numerous attacks against minorities, political groups, and artists.

The group accused the artist of being a “terrorist” and tried to prevent the concert with slogans.

Suavi continued to sing his folk songs despite the attacks.

Before the concert, MHP Beykoz District Chair Emre Çömlekçi announced that he found Suavi's concert “unacceptable.” After the attack, the district organization’s social media account shared a post saying “This is Beykoz, we told you not to come.”

Famous artist Haluk Levent deemed what happened at the Suavi concert a new lynching attempt and said, “I will not forgive myself if I allow others to talk about Suavi’s patriotism.”