Kurdish youth movements Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger (TCŞ) and Jinên Ciwan ên Têkoşer (TekoJIN) are organising long marches in 6 countries to protest the Turkish state's invasion and genocidal attacks against Kurdistan.

Youth organizations in Germany began the long march in Dortmund today. The march, which will end in Düsseldorf on 1 June, will stop in the cities of Essen and Duisburg.

The central concern of the traditional demonstration is the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan. This year, the focus is on Turkey's invasion of southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). Since mid-April, the Turkish state has again been waging a war of aggression against southern Kurdistan. With the event, the youth movement wants to send a powerful sign of solidarity to the guerrillas who are the only force resisting the targeted occupation of southern Kurdistan.

For a total of four days, the participants of the long march, activists from the youth organizations TCŞ and TekoJIN as well as internationalist people, will march through North Rhine-Westphalia under the motto "Defend Kurdistan!” As a prelude, there were short speeches at Dortmund Central Station, in addition to dancing to Kurdish songs. Despite rainy weather, the mood at the demonstration is militant. The destination of today's stage is Essen. Via Duisburg, the march is then set to end in Düsseldorf on Wednesday.