Galata Bridge March in Support of Palestine with Participation of the Sports Community (2026)

On the morning of 1 January 2026 in Istanbul, a large-scale march and rally in support of Palestine was held on the Galata Bridge organized with broad public participation. The event was structured around the slogan “We are not silent, we are not yielding, we do not forget Palestine”; it proceeded through gatherings, procession marches, and a main program area on the bridge. According to announcements made during the event, the number of participants was approximately 520,000.

^{Pro-Palestine March on Galata Bridge, 1 January 2026 (AA)}

The Galata Bridge Pro-Palestine March, held on 1 January 2026 on Istanbul’s Galata Bridge, was a collective demonstration of solidarity. It was organized under the leadership of the Alliance for Humanity and the National Will Platform, with participation from over 400 civil society organizations. The event’s objectives were to draw attention to civilian losses in Palestine, emphasize calls for a ceasefire, and convey a message of solidarity to the international public.

Prior to the event, a press conference was held at the TÜGVA General Headquarters under the umbrella of the National Will Platform and the Alliance for Humanity, issuing a joint call for participation on the morning of 1 January 2026. The call specified the Galata Bridge as the meeting point, along with the event’s timing, and established a framework encouraging participation from diverse social groups. It was also announced that participants would arrive from various cities, the march would proceed in a procession format, and access points to the area would be controlled through designated checkpoints.

Gathering points were designated at Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi, Sultanahmet, Fatih, Süleymaniye, Eminönü Yeni Camii, and Taksim Camii. After morning prayers, participants assembled in front of these mosques and began walking toward the Galata Bridge in groups. Turkish and Palestinian flags were carried throughout the march; many participants wore keffiyehs and chanted various slogans. Access to the bridge was achieved partly through pedestrian processions and partly via boats.

The main area on the bridge was prepared from early morning to accommodate the rally program. A large banner reading “Justice for Gaza” in Turkish and English was displayed at the center of the bridge; Turkish and Palestinian flags were positioned at various points across the area. A platform for the press featured a banner bearing the event’s slogan, along with large screens and a sound system. Behind the press platform, a poster depicting the Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali’s character “Hanzala” was hung. The program included speeches as well as musical performances; hot drinks and food were distributed by aid organizations in the area.

Representatives from the sports world—including club executives, federation presidents, athletes, and technical staff—participated in the event. The visibility of sports representatives encompassed both administrative and on-field actors. It was reported that the participation of the sports community created a distinct intensity within the broader audience of the event.

Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak attended the event on the Galata Bridge. At the federation level, Taha Akgül, President of the Turkish Wrestling Federation, and Ercüment Taşdemir, President of the Turkish Karate Federation, participated. From club management, Serdal Adalı, President of Beşiktaş Club, was present. Members of Fenerbahçe Club’s board of directors—Ertan Torunoğulları, Adem Köz, İlker Alkun, and Taner Sönmezer—were also on-site. On the Galatasaray side, Abdullah Kavukcu, Acting President of Galatasaray Sportif AŞ, attended the event; additionally, Galatasaray’s head coach Okan Buruk was present.

Osman Aşkın Bak expressed appreciation for the sensitivity shown by sports clubs and emphasized the unifying power of sport. He highlighted the importance of youth participation in such social processes and stressed the necessity of visibly demonstrating solidarity with the people of Gaza.

^{Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak (AA)}

Taha Akgül stated that a broad-based solidarity movement for Palestine had emerged in Türkiye and affirmed that the Wrestling Federation had joined the event in support. He emphasized that the Palestinian people must not be forgotten from the global agenda and considered it essential to sustain protest efforts, at minimum, through demonstrations.

Rıza Kayaalp said he had long felt moral distress over the situation in Palestine, particularly drawing attention to images of children enduring cold and harsh conditions. He noted that many people around the world are trying to offer support and stressed the need to increase such efforts. He added that he and others had come to the event to show support within their own means.

^{Statements by National Wrestler Rıza Kayaalp (left) and Turkish Wrestling Federation President Taha Akgül (right) (}YouTube⁾

Ercüment Taşdemir asserted that sport extends beyond competition and tournaments. He linked karate with the values of discipline, respect, and justice, framing resistance to injustice as a human responsibility.

Okan Buruk framed standing with Palestine as an expression of social solidarity, stating that suffering must be shared. He described his presence at the event as an act of support and noted the presence of Galatasaray fans alongside supporters of other clubs.

^{Galatasaray Head Coach Okan Buruk (AA)}

Abdullah Kavukcu stated that he was present at the event representing Galatasaray and emphasized the need to draw attention to the situation in Palestine and to demand an end to it.

^{Acting President of Galatasaray Sportif AŞ Abdullah Kavukcu (AA)}

Serdal Adalı, President of Beşiktaş Club, highlighted the importance of keeping the Palestinian issue on the agenda and stated that the club must continue participating in such solidarity initiatives. Ertuğrul Doğan, President of Trabzonspor Club, emphasized that the situation in Palestine must end and deemed it necessary for the response to be clear and resolute. Dursun Özbek, President of Galatasaray Club, stated that the club has long demonstrated sensitivity toward the Palestinian cause and expressed support for participation in the march. Ertan Torunoğulları, Member of the Board of Directors Responsible for Fenerbahçe Football Team, noted that the state values participation in such events and stated that the gathering of different segments of the sports community under a common banner was meaningful.

^{Beşiktaş Club President Serdal Adalı (center) and board members (AA)}

^{Fenerbahçe Club Board Members Ertan Torunoğulları (second from left), Adem Köz (left), İlker Alkun (right), and Taner Sönmezer (second from right) (AA)}