Maastricht: Status for Rojava, freedom for Öcalan!

Thousands of people demand the official recognition of Rojava and freedom for Abdullah Öcalan at a rally in Maastricht.

A political rally with a festival character is taking place in Maastricht city of the Netherlands today. Thousands of people from the Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium and Austria take part in the event under the motto "Status for Rojava, freedom for Öcalan" in the Guesselt Park.

The Dutch police have taken high security measures. At the entrance to the rally grounds, the Kurdish organizers carry out their own security checks.

Many Kurdish women have come in the traditional dresses of their regions of origin. Various political institutions and organizations have set up information booths on the site.

The stage is adorned with a huge picture of the Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. The participants carry flags of Kurdish organizations such as the PKK, KCK, YPG and YPJ.

The program was initiated with a minute of silence for the people who lost their lives in the revolutionary struggle. Then, on behalf of the organizers, Şafak Arabacı delivered a welcoming speech condemning Abdullah Öcalan's isolation and the Turkish threats against Rojava: "We resist everywhere, breaking through the isolation and shattering the fascism of the Turkish state. The Kurdish people are wanted destroyed, but at this point I would like to ask: Have you seen in the last 35 years that the Kurdish people knelt and bowed in the face of fascist mindset and massacres? This people has been resisting the second largest NATO army for 35 years. Today, thousands of people have gathered here, who once again say they will not surrender."

The stage program continues with speeches and cultural contributions.