15.06.2026 00:00
Independent Mining-Union Organization Specialist Başaran Aksu claimed that an attempt was made to attack workers and union executives with guns on the 26th day of the Özşen Mining protest. Independent Mining-Union Organization Specialist Başaran Aksu said, "The boss, who cannot produce solutions, finally thinks he can make us give up our rights by attacking with guns, firing at children and workers, and scaring people. He might think he can silence us and send us home this way."
On the 26th day of the protest by Özşen Mining workers in Edirne, the workers' families paid a support visit to the action.
ALLEGED ARMED ATTACK ON WORKERS AND UNION OFFICIALS
Başaran Aksu, an Organizing Specialist for the Independent Mine-Union, claimed that after the miners' wives headed to the administration building to inquire about the condition of the miners underground, an attempted attack occurred targeting workers and union officials. Aksu asserted that union officials Kemal Yılmaz and Barış Altın were targeted in the attack and stated that three shots were fired from two separate firearms.
"HE THINKS HE CAN MAKE PEOPLE GIVE UP THEIR RIGHTS BY INTIMIDATING THEM"
Aksu noted the following: "We are on the 26th day of the Özşem mining resistance. Today, the children and wives of miners are here to ask about the fate of our friends underground. We are quite crowded. When the miners' wives headed to the administration building to ask about their husbands' fate, there was a targeting and attack from behind, specifically aimed at workers and our union officials Kemal Yılmaz and Barış Altın. Then, three bullets were fired from two separate guns. To avoid paying the workers, employer Bekir Kiremitçi manipulates all state institutions, using the governor's office and district governor's office as cover, developing every kind of lie and manipulation to prevent workers from obtaining their rights. Ultimately, he thinks he can make people give up their rights by attacking children, workers, and families with guns, firing shots, and intimidating people. He might think he can silence us and send us home this way. But if we were afraid of death, we wouldn't go underground. We are people who live face to face, neck and neck, with death every day.
"THEY ARE FIRING BULLETS AT WORKERS, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN"
As for our union, we always say this everywhere: If you are a bullet, fire; if you are a knife, stab; but neither bullet nor knife can save you from the powerful arms of the worker. There are over a hundred witnesses; everyone saw the incident. Adem Kiremitçi, Beşir Bakar, and the managers here, Nusret Bey and Bekir Bey, directly fired three times from two separate guns at children, women, and miners with intent to kill and attempted physical assault. Therefore, we call on the district governor's office and gendarmerie authorities to objectively judge the incident, detain and arrest those responsible, and proceed with legal action...
The Governor hastily requests representatives from us and the workers. We thank him. Now he requests it after this incident. Both the general president and I have repeatedly called the governor's office. I immediately spoke directly with the district governor. Solve this problem. Take initiative in this matter. But they watched. They prohibited us from conveying the workers' demands to the President under flimsy excuses. They detained two miners. Now, emboldened by this, they are firing bullets at workers, women, and children."