Turkish Americans in Boston Condemn Attempted Coup

During the tumult of the unsuccessful ouster, which left about 290 people dead, Erdoğan urged citizens to rise up against the military takeover.

His message resonated with the Turkish community in New England, which held a much smaller protest last Sunday at the Turkish Consulate General. The consulate in Boston received calls and e-mails asking it to plan Sunday’s larger event, said Budak, who addressed the group.

Thousands of people taken into custody since the attempted coup are being held in sports facilities and stables, lawyers say. Demonstrators, representing surrounding states and community groups, wore hats and shirts with the nation’s white star and crescent ensign. They waved both Turkish and American flags. and hoisted signs supporting Erdoğan.

Participants also called for the extradition of Fethullah Gülen, a cleric living in the U.S. accused of orchestrating the insurrection. Büşra Savaş, 24, lives in Istanbul but is in Boston for the summer studying English. She said she came to the protest in honor of her uncle, who she said survived a shooting by members of the military. “At first I was so sad, but afterwards, when our citizens came out to support our country, I was so happy,” Savaş said. “We came here to support our country.”

Turkey’s government made a series of drastic changes in the days following the coup attempt. It declared a three-month state of emergency, detained and fired thousands in a “purge” of domestic institutions, and seized control of thousands of establishments believed to be associated with Gülen.

Erkut Gömülü, the president of the Turkish American Cultural Society of New England, said the United States would do the same if its elected leadership were threatened in such a way.

“Many measures they’ve taken, it’s a defense of the republic and a defense of the democracy,” Gömülü said. “We may have many problems, but I think true democracies are looking for the solutions.”

(By Miguel Otárola,