Kurdish youth’s umbrella organisation Ciwanên Azad and Jinên Ciwanên Azad organized a demonstration in Stuttgart, Germany to demand freedom for Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan as part of the “Serî Hilde” (Rise Up) campaign that had been launched by Komalen Ciwan (Communities of Youth) and Komalen Jinen Ciwan (Communities of Young Women) in late October. The campaign that will last until the Newroz, March 21, of 2018 aims to raise awareness about the isolation on Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan and demand his freedom, resist against Turkish attacks on Rojava and invasion of Southern Kurdistan and celebrate 40th anniversary of PKK.

Thousands from Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and France joined the march that kicked off in front of the Central Train Station at 12:00 Saturday noon. Democratic Kurdish Society Center in Germany (NAV-DEM), European Kurdish Democratic Society Congress (KCDK-E) and German Left Party also supported the demonstration.

The march was followed by a rally at Stuttgart’s Mariaplazt Square where demonstrators demanded freedom for Öcalan and urged Germany to remove the ban on PKK and Kurdish symbols, chanting slogans in German and Kurdish in favor of Öcalan and the Kurdish freedom struggle.

Speaking at the rally, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP Tuba Hezer underlined the struggle of the Kurdish people against the Turkish government and colonialism that lives on war, corruption and theft, saying; “The Kurdish people have always defended peace, freedom and democracy everywhere. We do not accept any support for the Erdoğan fascism that tries its best to eliminate the Kurdish people that defend a peaceful co-existence with all peoples. If we resist and believe, we will prevail.”

Hezer condemned the isolation on Öcalan which she said was an imposition of dishonor by the Turkish state.

Speaking after, KCDK-E Co-chair Yüksel Koç also called attention to the resistance of the Kurdish people and said: “We say one single thing; Long Live Leader Öcalan. All our friends and enemies should know this. Öcalan is the leader of not only Kurdish people but all the Middle East. He is the leader of democratic nation. Everywhere will be an area of action for us until Leader Apo is freed.”

Koç drew attention to the cooperation between the governments of Merkel and Erdoğan and said; “The Merkel government should very well that they cannot suppress or end the Freedom Movement and struggle. It is YPG and YPJ, and the paradigm and philosophy of Leader Öcalan that is ending the ISIS today. The German state is being hypocrite and banning our flags and identity. The will of Kurdish people will never allow this to succeed.”