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

On the morning of 1 January 2026 in Istanbul, a large-scale demonstration and rally in support of Palestine was held on the Galata Bridge. The event was organized around the slogan “We are not silent, we are not forgetting, we are not forgetting Palestine”; it proceeded with gatherings, procession marches, and a main program on the bridge. The number of participants was announced during the event as approximately 520,000 people.

^{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 mass solidarity demonstration. 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 identified the Galata Bridge as the meeting point, with specified timing, and established a framework encouraging participation from diverse social groups. It also outlined that participants would arrive from different cities, the march would proceed as a procession, and entry 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 the mosques and began marching in groups toward the Galata Bridge. During the march, Turkish and Palestinian flags were carried; some participants wore keffiyehs and chanted various slogans, creating a vibrant atmosphere. 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. 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 banners carrying the event’s slogan, along with large screens and a sound system. A poster featuring the “Hanzala” character by Palestinian cartoonist Naci el-Ali was hung on the large building behind the press platform. The program included speeches as well as musical performances; hot drinks and food were provided 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.

At the event on the Galata Bridge, Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak was present. On 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, attended the event. Members of the Fenerbahçe Club Board of Directors—Ertan Torunoğulları, Adem Köz, İlker Alkun, and Taner Sönmezer—were present at the venue. On the Galatasaray side, Abdullah Kavukcu, Acting President of Galatasaray Sportif AŞ, participated in the event; additionally, Galatasaray’s head coach Okan Buruk was also present.

Osman Aşkın Bak expressed gratitude for the sensitivity shown by sports clubs and emphasized the unifying power of sport. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of youth participation in such social processes and stated that visibility of protest against the situation in Gaza was necessary.

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

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

Rıza Kayaalp said he had long felt moral discomfort over the situation in Palestine and drew attention to the impact of images showing children enduring cold and harsh conditions. He noted that many people around the world were trying to offer support and stressed that this effort must be expanded. He added that he and others had come to the event to show support within their own means.

^{National Wrestler Rıza Kayaalp (left) and Turkish Wrestling Federation President Taha Akgül (right) speaking (}Youtube⁾

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

Okan Buruk framed standing with Palestine as a social solidarity statement, asserting 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)}

Beşiktaş Club President Serdal Adalı highlighted the importance of keeping the Palestine issue on the agenda and stated that the club must continue participating in such solidarity initiatives. Trabzonspor Club President Ertuğrul Doğan emphasized that the situation in Palestine must end and considered it necessary for the protest to be expressed openly and decisively. Galatasaray Club President Dursun Özbek stated that the club has long demonstrated sensitivity toward the Palestine issue and adopted a stance that included a call to join the march. Fenerbahçe Football Team Board Member Ertan Torunoğulları noted that the state’s involvement in such events was important to them and stated that the gathering of different segments of the sports community under a single 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)}