Environmentalists defend century-old trees against road expansion in Antalya
A group of environmentalists in southern Turkey's Antalya are defending centuries-old trees against a road expansion project that would cut them down. Each tree was about 200-years-old, protestors say.
Duvar English
A group of environmentalists in southern Turkey's Antalya are defending centuries-old trees against a road expansion project that would cut them down.
The group has been doing a sit-in for a few days to prevent a project by the Highways Directorate, which they signed off to a private contractor named MAKYOL.
Gendarmerie officers came to the site of the sit-in on Aug. 12 and removed a sign that protesters had hung up.
The protesters then hung colorful fabrics and flags on the trees they're defending.
"The Highways Directorate gave us a spoken promise to not cut them down, but we said we would keep up with the sit-in unless there was written proof," said protester Erdem Şenyer.
The protester also noted that each tree was about 200-years-old.
The Kemer District Municipality also made an official statement that they "stand with nature."