German police prevent activists from traveling to Paris to protest deadly attacks against Kurds

Participation in the demonstration against the attacks in Paris endangers Germany's reputation and security interests, according to the Federal Police. Activists were prevented from leaving the country in Aachen.

In Aachen, dozens of buses from Germany were stopped and checked as they travelled to the large-scale demonstration in Paris against the deadly attacks of 2013 and December 2022. Several people are said to have been banned from leaving Germany on the grounds that participation in the demonstration in Paris would harm the interests of the Federal Republic.

ANF German service has received a ban order from the Federal Police against one demonstrator. The woman is not allowed to travel to France until 9 January, the anniversary of the triple murder of Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan and Leyla Şaylemez by the Turkish secret service MIT in Paris, and must report to the police every day until then.

The order states: "Due to history, the reputation of the Federal Republic of Germany is already impaired if German citizens participate in events of banned associations abroad and show a not insignificant potential for aggression.

Furthermore, other interests of the Federal Republic of Germany may be endangered if German nationals commit criminal offences abroad. In addition to the risk of damaging the reputation of the Federal Republic of Germany, participation in events organized by associations banned in Germany also brings with it the possibility of further networking, the acquisition of banned propaganda material, the acquisition of new members or the radicalization of these members. In addition, such events offer the possibility of appearing in public in contravention of existing bans.”

The person concerned has been known to the German security authorities for a long time as a sympathizer/activist in the environment of the banned PKK organisation," states the "threat prognosis," according to which the demonstration in Paris serves "among other things, the networking or exchange of ideas in the environment of a banned organization on a national and international level. “By leaving the country, German nationals will also be involved in the agitation taking place at the above-mentioned event. This could have a considerable impact on the security policy of the Federal Republic of Germany.”