Iftar party turns into rally

An Iftar (Muslim breakfast after fasting during the month of Ramadan) celebration held by the Rafaa Party in Istanbul yesterday turned into a ceremony to proclaim support for the party. The rally's tone was more of festivity than protest.

The Iftar was preceded by a gathering of the party's supporters at the Istanbul airport in order to receive their leader, the former Turkish Premier Necmettin Erbakan who reached the Iftar place with difficulty due to the huge crowd.

Security measures during this ceremony did not show any tension or fears of clashes. The policemen were only moving the procession and monitoring the gathering people, some of whom stood on the billboards and shouted that their party will last and cannot be closed.

This issue has been the subject of many controversies in the political arena. Analysts were divided: some believe that the Rafaa party is still strong and the decision to ban the party will only lead to reestablishing the party under another name.

Turkish President Suleyman Demirel tried to appear as neutral as possible as he expressed his sorrow over the decision that closed the party and talked about the constitutional reasons behind that decision.