Masses started to gather as of early morning hours at the Alexanderplatz Square in German capital Berlin for a massive demonstration organized by the Alliance for Democracy and Peace in Afrin, founded by scientists, artists, lawyers and party/union representatives in Germany.

A number of German political parties, unions and anti-fascist groups are supporting the demonstration which is demanding an end to the Turkish state’s invasion attacks against Afrin and the German state’s provision of political and military support to the Turkish state.

Following short speeches about the Turkey’s Afrin attack, as many as 20 thousand people started a march from Neptunbrunnen amid heavy police presence.

Slogans chanted by demonstrators include “German panzers out of Afrin” and “Bijî berxwedana Efrînê” (Long Live Afrin resistance). The march is led by Kurdish and German women who are chanting “Jin, jiyan, azadî” (Woman, Life, Freedom) and carrying images of YPJ fighters who were martyred during the resistance in Afrin, and of the women and children massacred by the Turkish state in the canton.

German and international media show great interest in the demonstration which is held with the motto “Bridge of Peace and Democracy from Berlin to Afrin”. Activists are holding models of German Leopard tanks, with which Turkey attacks Afrin, to depict the federal government’s complicity in Turkey’s genocidal attacks against Afrin.

Calling on the Merkel government to “Stop complicity with Erdogan regime”, demonstrators are chanting “German finances, Turkey bombs” and “Fascist Erdogan”. Almost each participant of the demo is holding a banner of the YPG/YPJ, the defense forces of Rojava and Northern Syria.

Speeches held during the course of the march lay emphasis on the German state’s policy of criminalization against the Kurdish freedom movement and demand an end to the ban on Kurdish symbols. Each political party and group joining the march is holding banners condemning the attack on Afrin.

Demonstrators are in front of the Municipality of Berlin at the moment and will pass through Berlin’s central district Mitte, after which the march will end with a rally at Brandenburg Gate.