A centralized march is being held in the German city of Dusseldorf today in protest at the AKP fascism, aggravated isolation of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, repression of political prisoners and criminalization of the Kurds and democrats in Germany.

15 minutes after the march began, police forces tried to obstruct the mass by putting up barricades before them, and made announcements to not raise Öcalan’s posters. Kurds therewith started sit-in here amid continued announcements, and protested the police obstruction by raising Öcalan’s posters and PKK flags even higher.

Police then attacked the mass with water cannons and tear gas. Dozens were injured as result of the violent crackdown, against which the demonstrators protested by unfurling a huge PKK flag and chanting “Bijî Serok Apo” (Long Live Öcalan). Dozens of others were taken into custody as the aggression continued and the mass continues their resistance chanting “Bijî Serok Apo”, holding Öcalan’s posters and PKK flags high and singing the Kurdish anthem 'Çerxa Şoreşê'.

Refusing to bow to the impositions, attacks and obstructions of the German police, Kurdish demonstrators turned the scene of their sit-in into rally grounds as they are denied access to where the mass rally is taking place at the moment. Demonstrators are dancing the Kurdish traditional dance halay with flags of the PKK, YPG and YPJ, stating that they will continue to resist.

While the barricades before the mass remain, thousands of other participants have reached the rally grounds where Kurdish politician Hatip Dicle spoke and said the following;

“I am calling out to the German Minister of Interior, Mr. Öcalan is the strategic leader of the Kurdish people. He led the Kurds to become a legendary folk for freedom against the policies aiming to annihilate them. It is our honor to defend Mr. Öcalan. The German Interior Ministry should know this truth. We can discuss everything but our honor. Our history is a witness of this reality. We can risk everything but not lowering the posters of Mr. Öcalan. I am calling out to the German Minister of Interior, we are a peaceful people trying to make our voice heard in a democratic manner. We cannot accept you obstructing us here. Remove the barricades before our people and let them reach the rally grounds to make our voice be heard. We don’t make of your Erdoğan-like intervention in this march. We will not forget this what you are doing and we ask you not to hurt the Kurdish people.”

On the other hand, as the German police attack the Kurds and their friends in Dusseldorf, it is reported that the foreign ministers of Turkey and Germany are having a meeting in the Turkish city of Antalya.