Roma citizens who blocked military units attempting to travel from Lüleburgaz in northwestern Türkiye to Istanbul in armored vehicles to support the Gülenist Terror Group's (FETÖ) July 15 coup attempt continue to remember with pride the resistance they mounted that night.
After learning of the coup attempt, residents, most of them members of the Roma community, took to the streets to defend the national will and blocked military vehicles commanded by Latif Çiçek, who was later arrested and dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) over his involvement in the coup attempt.
Residents placed motorcycles, vehicles and sacks of potatoes in front of the military convoy, creating barricades to prevent the units from advancing toward Istanbul.
Despite Çiçek's threat that "the military has weapons, everyone should move aside," the crowd refused to back down and prevented the units from reaching Istanbul.
Ten years later, the Roma citizens involved in the resistance said the events of July 15 remained as vivid in their memories as they were on the first day.
