Ferat Koçak, a Left Party member of Berlin’s House of Delegates, has expressed alarm following an armed police raid at the Kurdish Nav Berlin Culture Centre, which was quickly followed by an arson attempt. Koçak, who was present during the arson attempt, highlighted how these incidents reflect the growing repression against Kurdish communities in Germany.
The armed police raid, which took place while families were inside the centre, created deep unease. “There were elderly people, children and babies present. This should never have happened in such a context,” Koçak told Medya News. He recalled the next day’s arson attempt, explaining how he smelled petrol and saw someone fleeing. “If the fire had ignited, it would have been catastrophic.”
Koçak believes the incidents are not isolated but are part of a broader pattern of state repression against Kurds. He drew attention to recent attacks on Kurdish institutions in Hamburg and Turkey, stressing that Kurdish organisations are under increasing threat both in Germany and abroad. “These are coordinated efforts, not random acts,” he said.
The situation highlights how Kurdish communities in Germany are being criminalised, particularly as Germany continues to tighten its ties with Turkey. The resumption of arms deals between the two nations and Germany’s increasing deportation of Kurdish refugees are seen as signs of a shifting policy. “Germany is becoming complicit in Erdoğan’s repression of the Kurds,” Koçak remarked.
For Koçak, these events demonstrate the need for greater political engagement by Kurds in Germany. “We must push back against these dangerous trends and make our voices heard in the political arena,” he urged.
