Hürriyet, Turkey
Jan 29 2007
Tension in Black Sea city Trabzon reflected in banners at football match
With all eyes turned to the Black Sea city of Trabzon, following the
discovery that Hrant Dink’s killer had originated from there, along
with a group of other people arrested in connection with the
incident, tension in Trabzon was apparent last night at a football
match between local Trabzonsport and Kayserispor.
The stands at the football match were filled with fans, some of whom
were holding banners in clear response to the banners that had been
carried at Hrant Dink’s funeral in Istanbul last week, which had said
"We are all Armenian," and "We are all Hrant Dink." In Trabzon last
night, some of the banners seen in the stadium read "We are Turkish,
We are from Trabzon, We are all Mustafa Kemal Ataturk," and "I am
Turkish, I am right, I am from Trabzon."
Despite the cold weather in Trabzon last night, the match stadium was
filled with an estimated 15 thousand fans holding around 3 thousand
banners, many in reference to the now controversial banners seen at
the Dink funeral in Istanbul. Crowds were also heard chanting slogans
in support of the Trabzon Police Chief Resat Altay, who was removed
from his posting by Ankara officials following the discovery that
Ogun Samast, the 17 year old held in the murder of Hrant Dink, was
from Trabzon.