Kurdish and internationalist activists taking part in the Long March from Heilbronn, Germany to Strasbourg, France were attacked by German police on the fourth day of the march from Offenburg to Lahr. Many people were injured or taken into custody following the brutal crackdown by the police.

The activists arrived at the Kurdish association in Dinglingen in the evening. The police intervened in the demonstration on the grounds of "violations" such as banned slogans and songs and face coverings. 

The activists gathered in Freiburg today to resume their action. The organizers of the march, the Long March Organizing Committee and youth organizations, issued a press statement condemning the attack by the German police.

The statement emphasized that the attack on demonstrators was a political decision and condemned the obstruction of the press and denial of medical attention to those injured during the attack.

Even the music and microphones were interfered with during the march until we reached the Kurdish Cultural Center, the organizing committee said and added, “When we reached the gate of the cultural center, the police attack started and many of our friends were detained."

“Our heads were split open, we suffered injuries on our backs, but the ambulance was not allowed to come. We had to be treated by our own means,” the statement said.

The Organizing Committee stated that they would continue their march despite the police attack and said, “In spite of everything, we will be in Strasbourg on 15 February. Youth is the driving force of the people's revolution. The German police know this and want to stop the march. But success is ours, victory is ours.”

The Long March is organized every year in different parts of Europe to protest the isolation of Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan and draw attention to the struggle of the Kurdish people. The traditional event  has faced similar obstructions and attacks in previous years.