'Freedom for Öcalan, Peace in the Middle East' demo in Venice

A demo was organized in Venice, Italy demanding freedom for Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and peace for the Middle East.

Venezia Kurdish Committee, Rifondazione Communist Party, Fiom, Anarchist Cultural Centre and democratic organisations held a demonstration demanding freedom for Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and peace for the Middle East.

Demonstrators gathered at Kampo San Ceremia Square where they denounced Turkey's Erdoğan government for its policies of denial and annihilation against the Kurds and dirty collaboration with ISIS that turned Rojava and the Middle East into a blood bath.

Speaking during the demo, Marko Sandi said the following: “Erdoğan employs all kinds of political and military methods against the Kurds in Northern (Bakur) and Western (Rojava) Kurdistan in an effort to annihilate them. However, the Kurdish people have precisely responded to Erdoğan and ISIS fascism by developing a great resistance in light of Öcalan's ideological paradigm.”

Speaking after, HDP MP Tuğba Hezer drew attention to the fascistic policies pursued by Erdoğan in 7 June, 1 November and 16 April referendum votings, and the repression and mass arrest campaign against the HDP.

Reminding of the Mussolini and Hitler fascism, Hezer said: “The Italians are one the peoples that know the best what fascism is. We believe that our Italian comrades who did not leave the Kurdish people alone in their legitimate struggle so far will enhance the international solidarity and show solidarity against Erdoğan fascism.”

Following speeches on behalf of protesters, the mass marched to the Canale Grande, one of the historic and touristic centers of Venice, and unfurled huge banners in Italian that read 'Freedom for Öcalan' and 'Peace and Democracy in the Middle East against Erdoğan and ISIS' on Scalzi Bridge, chanting 'Viva Öcalan', 'Viva Kurdistan'.