Turkish police wear shirts referencing Soylu's 'take that PKK' quote in southeast Turkey

Police in the southeastern province of Mardin made t-shirts with a quote from Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu on them, "ohhh ohhh," a Turkish expression that roughly translates to "take that." Soylu recently used it to express satisfaction that public resources were being used for the public instead of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), saying "take that PKK!"

Tuesday December 22 2020 10:21 am

Duvar English

Police officers in southeast Turkey's Mardin province made t-shirts with a quote from Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu targeting the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

Addressing the HDP group in parliament, Soylu said "ohh," a Turkish expression that roughly translates to "take that," during budget negotiations on Dec. 13 saying, "The money isn't going to the PKK, it's going to the people. Oh, oh! Take notes!"

Soylu's implication was that the HDP deputies would prefer the money is spent for the PKK, dubbed a terrorist entity by Ankara and often the subject of unfounded terrorism charges against HDP lawmakers.

Soylu was referring to the construction of two new government buildings when he said "the money is going to the people," which prompted many social media users to protest his remarks pointing out that the median income in Turkey is alarmingly close to the minimum wage.

The Mardin Police Headquarters shared photos of their officers wearing t-shirts with Soylu's quote and a caption that included a conversation from their police radio where the minister's line about the PKK was repeated.

Narcotics police in the southeastern province of Van also paid tribute to Soylu's rhetoric by writing out "Ohh ohh" with bricks of heroin they confiscated in a Dec. 19 raid.