Kurds and allies came from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium in the morning and gathered by the central train station in Brussels. The march led by mothers in white headscarves started near noon.

The protest organized by KCDK-E and TJK-E was supported by the SKB, AvEG-KON, ATIK, HBDH, KCKD-E, KNK, PYD, Partizan, Labor and Freedom Front, International Committee for Solidarity with the Political Prisoners. Two hunger strikers in Paris also attended the demonstration.

The protesters frequently chanted slogans against the isolation and the Turkish state during the march and sang revolutionary anthems. After an hour of marching, the rally was held in the Luxembourg park across from the European Parliament.

Kurdish politician and former MP Kemal Aktas spoke in the rally and, pointing to the hunger strike resistance that has continued for almost 7 months under the lead of HDP MP Leyla Guven, said Guven’s release and Ocalan’s meetings with his brother and lawyers happened due to the resistance.

Speaking in Kurdish, Aktas said, “Congratulations on our resistance” and added that the isolation will be broken by the hunger strikers, mothers in white scarves and the people. Aktas spoke about the resistance of the mothers in white headscarves and the state’s attacks against them, saying: “As their comrades, we must support their cries stronger.” Aktas said it’s the day to resist and added that the state is stuck and that cleared the path to some meetings with Ocalan. Aktas concluded with, “However strong we stand against fascism, however organized, That is how fast we will achieve results.”

Medya Abdo spoke in the name of the TJK-E and started her speech by saying, “This is an act of freedom and resistance.” Abdo said the isolation is against the Kurdish people and not just Ocalan and pointed to the hunger strikes: “This process started with the women’s resistance, it will end with women’s resistance.”

Two revolutionaries who have been on a hunger strike for 17 days also attended the protest. SKB member Gulten Yavuz and youth movement Young Struggle member Ceyran Bilen came from Paris to and gave speeches. Both activists said they launched a 30 day hunger strike in solidarity with the hunger strikes.

Gulten Yavuz said she went on the hunger strike “for the prisoners and for the mothers” and added that the isolation is against all of society. Yavuz said: “If we support this resistance, we will break the isolation. We are mothers too. There is something everyone can do to prevent deaths. We must take responsbility. If we unite, we can prevail.”

Ceyran Bilen said a woman led the hunger strikes and added: “As a young person I couldn’t turn away from this resistance.”

Bilen said Ocalan is not an individual but the leader of a whole people, and added: “Prisoners’ demand is our demand.” Bilen also spoke about the fascistic pressure against all opposition groups in Turkey and said “We Want an end to the pressures.”

A mother in a white headscarf spoke last and said the demand by the hunger strikers  should be accepted and the isolation should end. The Kurdish mother said, “We started this resistance of our own will. It is a source of pride for us to have such resilient children. We will prevail, the resisance will prevail!”

The crowd gathered after a while after the speeches.