German police prevent a demonstration for Freedom for Öcalan in Berlin
The German police halted a demonstration in Berlin on Saturday evening before its scheduled end, dispersing a crowd of several hundred participants. The decision came as images of Abdullah Öcalan were displayed, and chants were made in support of the Kurdish leader. The organizers of the demonstration have condemned the actions of the police as unacceptable. In response to the demonstration being prevented, the participants organized an impromptu sit-in.
The Dest-Dan Women’s Council and the Free Kurdish Community in Berlin (Nav-Berlin) had arranged the demonstration in support of the global campaign Freedom for Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question. The campaign calls for the release of Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned on the Turkish prison island of Imrali since 1999. Since March 2021, there has been no communication from Öcalan and his three fellow inmates, Hamili Yıldırım, Ömer Hayri Konar, and Veysi Aktaş. Their lawyers and family members are also denied access to them.
During the demonstration, Hüseyin Yılmaz, co-chair of Nav-Berlin, addressed the crowd and proclaimed, Until the physical freedom of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan is guaranteed, the Kurdish people and the peoples of the Middle East will never experience good days. We will persist in our efforts until the release of Mr. Öcalan is secured. We will not forget the mindset behind the international conspiracy. This same mindset is now prohibiting the march we are organizing today for Mr. Öcalan. We will not yield to these bans.
The prevention of the demonstration has sparked debates about freedom of expression and the right to assemble. Critics argue that the silencing of voices supporting Öcalan and the Kurdish question undermines basic democratic principles. Proponents of the police’s actions contend that the public display of support for a figure associated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) could incite violence and threaten public safety.
However, the protesters remain determined to press ahead with their cause. Despite the disruption, they continue to demand the release of Öcalan and stress the importance of his participation in finding a solution to the Kurdish question.
The events in Berlin have highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the Kurdish community and those advocating for Öcalan’s release. As tensions persist, it remains unclear how the situation will evolve.
