German police conducted a raid on the Democratic Kurdish Society Center NAV-DEM branch in Hannover on Thursday. Following a detailed search for hours, the police confiscated banners, brochures, images of martyred guerrillas and Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan, and books in the association’s office.

Police labelled NAV-DEM an “association of the PKK” without putting forward a remarkable justification. A commemoration ceremony for a guerrilla in Lehrte had been raided by the German police with the same excuse before. The Kurdish association co-chair in Hannover, Ayfer Amara, refuted the claims of the police.

The search in the association continued from early morning hours till 15:30 in the afternoon. In the meantime people gathered in front of the association and protested against the raid.

NAV-DEM Co-chair Tahir Koçer spoke during the demonstration and said; “All the associations and institutions affiliated to us are operating legally. Our association in Hannover serves our people in this framework. The hastily raid on our association in the early hours of the morning is unacceptable. This is an arbitrary approach and intolerance of the Hannover police towards the Kurds.”

Remarking that the Hannover police often create troubles for the Kurds and their events, Koçer recalled that the police tried to ban the Newroz (Kurdish New Year) events in late March most recently.  

Kurds and their allies continued their protest in front of the train station at 19:00 yesterday evening. Speaking here, KCDK-E (European Kurdish Democratic Society Congress) Co-chair Yüksel Koç said the following; “We know very well now that the Merkel government stands with the looters and invaders and has united with them in hostility against the Kurds. We have witnessed this during the invasion of Afrin. However, the German people and institutions stand with the Kurds.”

Speaking after, KCDK-E Co-chair Fatoş Göksungur said; “We are asking, is Germany a state of law or a police state?”

Göksungur pointed out that efforts are made in order to deprive the Kurds of their right to democratic and legitimate politics, saying; “Of course we will not allow this. Our associations are our house.”

In the meantime, a young demonstrator was detained by the police while flashing victory sign. The police also seized a banner that read APO (name of the Kurdish leader Öcalan in Kurdish). While demonstrators denounced that police tried to provoke the people, the detained demonstrator was released after a while.