Truck displaying 'Love Erdoğan' message drives around New York

A truck displaying the message of "Love Erdoğan" was seen driving around New York as part of Turkey's campaign to counter an advertisement on Times Square that read "Stop Erdoğan." The truck campaign is carried out by the Turkish-American National Steering Committee (TASC).

Tuesday March 09 2021 01:40 pm

Duvar English

A truck displaying the message of "Love Erdoğan" was seen driving around New York as part of a campaign launched by the Turkish-American National Steering Committee (TASC).

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) last week slammed the network of U.S.-based Fethullah Gülen over an advertisement on New York's Times Square that read "Stop Erdoğan."

AKP spokesperson Ömer Çelik said that the Gülen movement, which is officially called the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), is an enemy of Turkey.

"FETÖ leaders are enemies of humanity and Turkey just like the PKK," Çelik said on March 4, using the abbreviation of Kurdistan Workers' Party, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara, the U.S. and the European Union.

Since then, the AKP has been placing ads across Turkey that read "Love Erdoğan" to show their support to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The TASC, however, took the campaign to the streets of New York.

Commenting on the truck, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Yunus Emre said, "We're facing a saddening picture."

"It's obviously wrong to carry out such a campaign in the U.S. This can't be demanded from the streets of the U.S., but launching this campaign shows how weak the government is," Emre said.