On Thursday morning in Berlin, activists of the internationalist youth communes climbed the thirty-metre-high sculpture ‘Molecule Man’ in the Spree and hung a banner reading ‘Refuse the Third World War – no medium-range missiles in Germany – no Eurofighters in Kurdistan’.

According to the activists, they are protesting against the German government's war preparations and confrontational course, particularly towards Russia. The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the NATO Summit that US medium-range missiles would be redeployed to Germany. The activists said that the decision would make Germany a target for Russia.

“The rich want war, the youth want a future!” the activists said, reacting to the approval of the sale of Eurofighter fighter jets to Turkey. The activists stated that Germany, with its support to the AKP-MHP regime, is a partner in the ongoing bombardment and occupation in Kurdistan.

‘We will refuse the Third World War!’

“Every day we have to watch as wars become increasingly brutal and human rights are trampled underfoot. The German government is making a profit from death. Whether it's supplying weapons to Israel or selling jets and tanks to Turkey for use in attacks on Kurdistan in violation of international law, Germany is a warmonger. We can no longer stand idly by. We will refuse the Third World War! We are rising up against the wars – worldwide,’ said Marie, a spokeswoman for the internationalist youth communes.

‘The German government is preparing for war’

Mark, an activist, said: “Young people in Germany don't want to end up at the front, riddled with holes like the Molecule Men. To date, almost one million Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded in the war in Ukraine. The German population is also already feeling the effects of the war, with rising prices and an intensified domestic political situation having become part of everyday life. 100 billion euros have been invested in rearmament, while social benefits continue to be cut.”

“The German government is preparing for war by reintroducing compulsory military service and rearming Germany. This is the wrong approach, because we know that more soldiers and more weapons do not create peace. We need real solutions for the many crises of our time, not blind warmongering,” Mark continued.

Fighter jets for war crimes in Kurdistan

According to the statement, the activists have a clear idea of how solutions might look: “The self-determination of young people and a new democratic culture that goes beyond parliaments and into every school, university and company. In many places around the world, people are standing up to war and trying out new democratic paths through self-government, as in Kurdistan. Erdoğan is trying to destroy this with his illegal invasions of Syria and Iraq. Nevertheless, on Wednesday, Olaf Scholz agreed to the delivery of fighter jets worth four billion dollars to Turkey.”

Azad, an activist from Afrin who had to leave his home because of the Turkish occupation, said: “I fled from the war in Kurdistan and now I see how it is just beginning here in Germany. But whether in Kurdistan or Germany – people don't want war!”