Answering the call of the Kurdish umbrella organization KCDK-E, Kurds and their friends took to the streets all around Europe on Saturday to denounce Turkey's genocidal attacks against the Yazidi community in southern Kurdistan and demand an official status for Shengal.

The background of the protests was a Turkish air attack on the Shengal region inhabited by Yazidis last Wednesday, in which four members of the resistance units YBŞ were killed, including a commander.

BIELEFELD

In Bielefeld city of Germany, numerous people gathered at the main train station in the afternoon to protest against the Turkish attacks on Shengal and to express their solidarity with the inhabitants of the region. The demonstration began with a minute's silence for the martyrs and was opened with a speech by a youth activist. Afterwards the march moved towards the city centre, where activists distributed leaflets about the current situation in Shengal and the occupation efforts of Turkey in the region and spoke personally with interested passers-by.

The demonstration march was led by photos of the four YBŞ martyrs. The protesters shouted slogans and read out the following lines, among others;

"With its attacks Turkey continues the genocide of the ISIS against the Yazidi Kurds in 2014. These attacks are again aimed at a civilian massacre of Kurds and are part of the bloody occupation attempts, which Erdoğan has been trying to achieve hand in hand with its jihadist partners and additionally German weapons, especially since October 9th with the attacks on Rojava (Northern Syria). Another aim of Turkey is to destroy the social coexistence of the civilian population in the region as well as the grassroots democratic self-administration of Shengal, to weaken the Kurdish defense units and to destabilise the region completely, in order to be able to annex it more easily to Turkey and to destroy the Kurdish achievements.

Today is the day when we must unite our forces against the fascist Turkish state and defend ourselves.

We call for action everywhere and to raise the voices! Let us defend the achievements of the people of Shengal and honour those who lost their lives in the historic struggle against the Turkish occupiers and the ISIS. The attack on Shengal is an attack on us all!"

The demonstration was then moved back to the main station and ended with a closing speech. Those present called for people to take part in the commemoration ceremony for the four YBŞ martyrs tomorrow at the Kurdistan Centre Bielefeld (12 noon).

 

MARSEILLE

In Marseille city of France, thousands of people joined a demonstration to express their solidarity with Shengal against the genocidal attacks of the Turkish state.

The crowd staged a protest march from the Canabierre Square to Vieux Port where a rally was held.

Speakers called on European states not to be an accomplice in Turkey’s massacre of the Kurdish people.

VIENNA

Vienna Kurdish Democratic Community Center organised a demonstration in the Austrian capital in protest at the Turkish attack on Shengal.

Speakers condemned the Turkish state terror and called on the Austrian government and public opinion not to remain silent on the massacres perpetrated in Kurdistan.

FRANKFURT

In the German city of Frankfurt, Kurds held a demonstration at the Hauptwache Square in solidarity with Shengal and Rojava where the Turkish state is waging a bloody campaign targeting the Kurdish people and their achievements.

Speakers denounced the Turkish state’s attacks against the Kurdish people in various parts of Kurdistan that have remarkably increased after the defeat of ISIS.

Demonstrators condemned the international silence on Turkey’s deadly attacks against Shengal and chanted slogans commending the resistance of the Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ).

ATHENS

Kurdish Cultural Center and Revolutionary Youth Movement organised a demonstration in Athens which saw the participation of Kurds, anarchist, socialist and leftist groups. The demonstration drew intense interest from Greek people.

The march in protest at Turkey’s attacks against Shengal kicked off from the Akademia Square and continued till the Turkish Embassy through the main streets of the Greek capital. Demonstrators handed out leaflets to passers-by informing about the Turkish state’s genocidal war against the Kurdish people in various parts of their lands.

A rally was held in front of the Turkish Embassy where Greek police took intense security measures. Speeches were made here in the name of the Kurdish Cultural Center and leftist, socialist groups condemning Turkey’s attacks.