After the fascist attack on the HDP office in Izmir on Thursday, which resulted in the death of 38-year-old Deniz Poyraz, numerous people in various cities of Germany took to the streets to protest the state-orchestrated propaganda which makes the HDP and its supporters a target of violence. Protest events organized by local Kurdish associations and groups together with the Europe-wide “Alliance of Democratic Forces” (ADGB) took place in Bielefeld, Cologne, Munich, Berlin and Hamburg, among others.

Bielefeld

In Bielefeld, the demonstration was promoted by the Kurdish Society Center, together with the OWL alliance and the Federation of Democratic Alevi. “We stand in solidarity with the HDP, we know the murderers and we will not forget Deniz Poyraz!” activists said in their appeal.

Hamburg

At a demonstration in Hamburg, Kurdish politician in exile and former member of parliament Nihat Akdoğan said that the attack in Izmir was a “planned and organized attack in which the state had a hand.” Akdoğan reminded that “A HDP board meeting gathering about forty people was supposed to take place in the Izmir party’s building on Thursday.” The meeting had been postponed at short notice. Akdoğan also spoke of a “continuity of oppression” of political parties that advocate the fundamental rights of Kurds. “This is something of a tradition in Turkey, which has its roots in anti-Kurdish racism.”

Author and feminist activist Anja Flach condemned the attack in Izmir with harsh words and pointed out that Federal Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer was in Turkey and shook hands with the Turkish government ministers when Deniz Poyraz was killed.

Cologne

People in Cologne gathered in the Mülheim district for a rally. An activist read a statement from the Kurdish European Association KCDK-E. “The murder of Deniz Poyraz shows that there is no longer any trace of democracy in Turkey. People are killed in broad daylight by murderers who can move around freely.”

Berlin

NAV-DEM and the Women's Council Dest-Dan in Berlina promoted a rally to condemn the murder of Deniz Poyraz. The rally was held at Alexanderplatz.

Munich

During a protest in Munich it was said that the people actually responsible for the attack on HDP-Izmir and the murder of Deniz Poyraz were sitting in their palaces in Ankara and Istanbul. The attack did not only target the HDP, but also the Kurdish people, said activists.

Rallies throughout Europe

The murder of Deniz Poyraz was also protested in France, Switzerland, Great Britain, Norway among other countries. Activists all over Europe called on everyone to support the HDP.