Masses joined the demonstration organized by PYD Berlin branch in Berlin today to condemn the ban on the flags and symbols of Kurdish organizations as well as the German government's policy of criminalizing the Kurdish people.

The demonstration has taken place under the slogans "Freedom for Rojava" and "Struggle against the criminalization of the PYD, YPG, YPJ". Many German leftist and socialist groups showed their support in the protest demonstration in addition to the Kurdish institutions in Berlin. 

Amid continued provocations, German police made announcements to “not unfurl banned flags” but the mass continued to raise flags of the PYD, YPG and YPJ. Calling on the Interior Ministry to reverse the ban, demonstrators gave messages of solidarity with the YPG.

Police forces attacked the mass while the demonstration was about to end. The mass continued to hold the flags high despite the attack which left at least 5 people injured, one seriously.

Police forces then intensified the attack with tear gas and detained 7 people, whereafter demonstrators started sit-in at the junction of Chaussee Strasse and Schwartzkopff Strasse in protest at the crackdown on peaceful protesters.

Speaking to ANF, demonstrators surrounded by police forces stated that they will continue their action until the detainees are released.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior submitted on the 2nd of March 2017 a decree to all federal states demanding a ban on flags and symbols of several Kurdish parties and organisations, including the PYD (Democratic Union Party), YPG (People's Protection Units), YPJ (Women's Protection Units), PJAK (Kurdistan Free Life Party), YXK (Association of Students from Kurdistan) and NAV-DEM (Democratic Kurdish Society Center) among others. The Ministry described the decree as a renewing of the PKK ban in effect in Germany since 1993.