The march protesting the pressure and bans against the PYD in Berlin on June 17 was attacked by the German police, and several people were wounded and detained.

Among the wounded was Şemsettin Sevimli, from Hezex, Şırnak, who fled the Turkish state’s oppression and torture 21 years ago and settled in Berlin. Sevimli was wounded on his head in the police attack.

Speaking to ANF, Sevimli said the German police attempted to provoke them and that they trampled the women. He added that the German police displayed animosity towards Kurds.

Şemsettin Sevimli said he came to Germany in 1996 because of Turkish state oppression and added: “Because we weren’t allowed the chance to live on our own land, we had to come to Germany. Since the day we came, we have experienced similar things here. I have been assaulted 4 times. I was wounded from several places. And in this last attack, I was wounded on my head.”

Şemsettin Sevimli spoke on the day of the attack: “It was a humanitarian march. That was our intention when attending as well. The aim was to display a democratic protest against the ban on the Rojava, YPG and YPJ flags. At first the march was going well. But then, there was a provocation, and it was not ordinary. The police attacked men and women and trampled them. Our friend Rızgar was also trampled. 10-15 men stomped on her. I tried to save her, but I ended up bloodied. Several policemen surrounded me and attacked me. I was hit on my head. It was like a lightning passed through my whole body.”

The Kurdish man said he endured many attacks since he came to Germany and continued: “I have been assaulted several times in the past. This last one was not a normal attack. Normally, if they would hit me a hundred times with their batons, I wouldn’t mind. But these were not normal batons. It was much tougher.” He stated that he doesn’t feel enmity towards the German police despite all the attacks and the hatred and added: “I am not an enemy to the German police or the German state. And the Kurdish people are not enemies to any peoples. We are an oppressed people. Maybe that is why we live through these. I condemn this attack.”