Demonstrations in solidarity with the HDP take place across Europe

Demonstrations in solidarity with the HDP took place across Europe on Saturday. The People’s Democratic Party (HDP) is threatened with closure in Turkey. The ‘Alliance of Democratic Forces in Europe’ (ADGB) called for simultaneous demonstrations and rallies with the slogan ‘The HDP cannot be banned, we will defeat fascism together’. The actions were supported by the Kurdish European Association KCDK-E.

Nuremberg

In Nuremberg, the ADGB organized a rally in front of the Lorenz Church. The spokesman for the alliance stressed that only the unity of all democratic forces can stop Turkish fascism.

Erhan Aktürk, a former defendant in the Munich TKP-ML trial, called for an organized and united fight against the fascist attacks on the HDP.

The main speaker at the well-attended rally was Demir Çelik, co-chair of the Federation of Democratic Alevis (FEDA). The exiled politician and former mayor of Varto denounced the ban proceedings against the HPD and the increasing attacks by the AKP-MHP regime and its supporters on the democratic opposition in Turkey.

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Çelik is – like some 451 politicians – affected by the ban on political activity as part of the proceedings to outlaw the HDP. In exile, he works tirelessly for a democratization process in Turkey and was also part of the peace delegation to South Kurdistan in June of this year.

Mainz

People from Mannheim, France, Giessen and Darmstadt took part in a demonstration in Mainz. A message from HDP co-chairs, Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, was read out at the demonstration. The HDP co-chairs exposed the hypocrisy of Europe with regard to democratic values ​​and human rights.

The solidarity actions were directed not only against the authoritarian system of oppression in Turkey, but also against the support of the Erdogan regime by the European states. The speakers in Mainz were the exiled politicians Zübeyde Zümrüt and Faysal Sarıyıldız.

Berlin

A demonstration in Berlin was addressed by the KCDK-E co-chair Fatoş Göksungur, Bundestag member Pascal Meiser, Bundestag candidate Lucia Schnell (Die Linke), Berlin left-wing politician Ferhat Koçak, former HDP members Kemal Aktaş and Sibel Yiğitalp and exile journalist Hayko Bağdat.

Leipzig

In Leipzig, a demonstration called for the denazification of the German security authorities as well as an end of right-wing terror in Germany. The support of the Erdogan regime by the German government was denounced.

Hamburg

In Hamburg there was a loud and colourful demonstration from Altona to Sternschanze.

Hanover

A demonstration in Hanover started with a minute’s silence for Yasin Bulut and all those who fell in the Kurdish liberation struggle.

Düsseldorf

Numerous politicians from Turkey who have been forced to live in exile in Europe due to political persecution took part in a demonstration in Düsseldorf.

Speakers denounced that the German government supports the Erdogan regime in its extermination campaign against the Kurdish people.

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