Tens of thousands of Kurds living in Europe and their allies are marching to the Rue des Venneaux in Strasbourg for the rally to be held to protest the February 15 international plot and support Leyla Guven and the hunger strikers against the isolation.

Internationalists and youth activists who attended the long march from Luxembourg to Strasbourg and politicians, artists, NGO representatives and activists who marched from Basel to Strasbourg are leading the march. The long march activists have vests that read “Freedom for Ocalan” and carry a giant banner with “Freedom for Ocalan” written on it in different languages.

“FREEDOM FOR OCALAN”

Tens of thousands of people marching behind banners that read “Break the isolation, Tear down fascism, Free Kurdistan”, “Freedom for Ocalan” and others saluting the hunger strikes chant “Freedom for Ocalan”, “Long Live Dungeon Resistances”, “Leyla Guven is our honor” and “We are all PKK” in various languages. The marchers carry photographs of Ocalan, Leyla Guven and hunger strikers in various cities as well as PKK, KCK, YPG, YPJ and PYD flags. The leftist-socialist and antifascist groups from Turkey and France also carry their own flags.

ANGER AGAINST ERDOGAN AND THE TURKISH STATE

Tens of thousands of people shout their anger at the Turkish state and Erdogan and frequently chant, “Murderer Erdogan”, “Terrorist Turkey” and “Dictator Erdogan”.

“RESISTANCE WILL BREAK THE ISOLATION”

Throughout the march, activists with bullhorns speak about Ocalan’s resistance in the Imrali prison for the last 20 years and stress that the AKP-MHP fascism resorts to isolation policies upon their defeat against Ocalan. The marchers salute the resistances and stress that Leyla Guven and the hunger strikers’ demands are demands embraced by millions. Speeches in the march stress that the Turkish state is in great fear and panic due to the resistance and point out that if the resistance is increased the isolation will be broken and Ocalan will achieve freedom.

PROTESTING INTERNATIONAL POWERS

The marchers are also protesting the powers involved in the plot against Ocalan, European states and the CPT and Council of Europe (CoE) who remain silent in the face of the isolation. The crowd is calling on the CPT and CoE to take urgent action and stating that these institutions will be responsible for any negative outcome of hunger strikes.

MEDIA INTEREST

Hundreds of young Kurds are tasked with security in the march, which has garnered great interest from locals and is followed by French and international media outlets.

Meanwhile, there are reports that German and French police have stopped groups in buses and private vehicles travelling to Strasbourg.

HUNGER STRIKERS TO ATTEND THE RALLY

The march continues towards the Rue des Vanneaux where the rally will be held. A large scale rally is planned to protest the international plot and support the hunger strikes, following a 3 km march. A committee from the Strasbourg activists who have been on hunger strikes for 62 days to break the absolute isolation imposed upon Ocalan are expected to give a speech at the rally.