Kurds attending May 1 celebrations in European cities protested the Imrali isolation and saluted the hunger strikers.

STUTTGART

Thousands gathered in the Marienplatz in Stuttgart, Germany in the morning for May 1 Workers’ Day and marched to Markplatz. Trade unions led the cortege which included MLPD, Die Linke, DKP, Verdi, DGB and German Antifa organizations. Groups like DTKM, MLKP, HDK-A, ATIK, DIDF, Partizan, TKP-ML, KKE and Tamils also attended the celebrations where trade unions marched for 4 km. Protesters chanted “Long Live International Solidarity” throughout the march.

Protesters also carried photographs of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan and hunger strikers, as they chanted “Freedom for Ocalan”, “Long Live May 1”, “Biji Yeke Gulane”, “Speak up for death fasts” and “Biji Berxwedana Leyla”.

HAMBURG

Participants of the May 1 celebrations in Hamburg saluted the hunger strikes led by DTK Co-chair Leyla Guven. The march started from Damtor train station with political parties, trade unions and various organizations. Over 10.000 people attended the march where Kurdistanis held signs that drew attention to the hunger strikes, chanted and protested the isolation. Other revolutionary groups joined in the chants.

BONN

Kurdistanis attended the May 1 celebrations in front of the Bonn City Council and drew attention to the hunger strikes and death fasts. Hundreds of German people joined in the chants.

FREIBURG

Freiburg Democratic Kurdish Society Center, Nuda Women’s Assembly, Freiburg Alevi Cultural Dergah and European Alevi Union members attended the May 1 celebrations in Freiburg. The crowd gathered in Freiburg Kirchplatz in the morning for the march.

Kurdish participants informed the crowd on the isolation and hunger strikes as well as pointing out that conscientious groups should intervene.

Koma Se Gulen Azad performed a traditional dance.

VIENNA

FEYKOM which is a part of the Democratic Kurdish Social Center in Vienna held a May 1 celebration. The crowd gathered in front of the opera house for the march and passed out flyers on the hunger strikes. The march continued towards the Vienna City Council and the mayor from the SPO as well as the chairperson and cabinet attended the march. The participants said the Imrali isolation must end at once.

Kurds attended the march towards the picnic area organized by the Komintern.

MORBIHAN

Trade unions in Morbihan, France, yellow vests and Kurdistanis celebrated May 1 in the town Hennebont.

Kurdistanis in the town Lorient, Morbihan Alevi Association and BIRKAR members attended the celebrations.

Kurdistanis also drew attention to the hunger strikes against the isolation imposed upon Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan and the death fasts.

SALZBURG

Some 50 organizations attended the May 1 celebrations in Salzburg, Austria. Kurdistanis attending the celebrations drew attention to the hunge rstrikes led by DTK Co-chair Leyla Guven. Representatives from organizations gave speeches in the march that started from the Hauptbahnhof, and Kurdish representatives passed out flyers against the isolation. The celebrations concluded in front of the central library in Lehen.

MARSEILLES

The May 1 march in Marseilles started from the Vieux Pourt Square.

Kurds attended en masse and carried a large scale poster of Leyla Guven. They also passed out flyers.

The march started towards the Joliette Square and participants waved PKK flags, and French participants chanted “Biji YPG/YPJ”.

STRASBOURG

Left wing parties, trade unions, ecologists and feminists celebrated May 1 in Strasbourg.

Hundreds gathered in the Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny Square to hold a march. Communist Party of France (PCF), France’s largest trade union CGT and left wing association Solidaire were present in the march as well as ecologist and feminist groups. The yellow vests were represented in the march. Democratic Kurdish Social Center, Partizan, ATIK and DIDIF were also among the participants.

Slogans against the Macron government and police brutality were heard frequently in the march which later continued with music and dancing.

The crowd informed the public about the hunger strikes led by DTK Co-chair Leyla Guven against the isolation and announced that 14 Kurdish activists have been on hunger strikes in Strasbourg for 136 days, calling on the French public to embrace the Kurdish people’s resistance.

BORLANGE

May 1 celebrations in Borlange, Switzerland organized by the Swiss Left party and the NCDK was dedicated to Leyla Guven and all hunger strikers. Participants held posters of Abdullah Ocalan and waved PKK and KCK flags as well as passing out flyers on the ongoing hunger strikes against the isolation.

Borlange City Councillor Velide Cicen spoke in the name of the NCDK in the rally and pointed out the importance of pressuring the Turkish state about the hunger strikes and isolation. Cicen also saluted the Rojava revolution and said European states must take on an active role regarding the isolation.

BRUSSELS

YJK-Belgium and NAV-BEL attended the May 1 celebrations alongside workers’ unions. The signs in the cortege drew attention to the isolation in Imrali and the hunger s trikes. The march started in the St Gilles Square and headed to the De Beurs Square.