🔴London’s Kurdish community protest criminalisation following Haringey raids
📌London’s Kurdish community united against injustice!
Protesters gathered yesterday to resist the criminalisation of their community following raid and arrests at the Kurdish Community Centre,… pic.twitter.com/Cy0UwrAMzY— MedyaNews (@medyanews_) December 2, 2024
Kurdish residents in London took to the streets on 1 December with thousands of supporters, protesting against criminalisation of the city’s Kurdish community following recent arrests targeting the Kurdish Community Centre (KCC) in Haringey. The demonstration, organised by the Kurdish People’s Democratic Assembly (KDPA) of London, drew attention to increasing pressure on Kurdish cultural and political spaces in the UK.
Protesters carried banners and chanted slogans calling for solidarity and an end to the unjust targeting of Kurdish individuals and organisations. The Assembly extended heartfelt thanks to the community and friends of the Kurds for their unwavering support, posting “Together, we are stronger!” on X.
The protest action coincided with the launch of a hunger strike in custody by Ali Poyraz, one of the individuals arrested in the operation targeting the KCC. Poyraz, a writer, has previously endured over 21 years in a Turkish prison for Kurdish activism, and his family were reportedly subjected to police violence during the raid on their London home.
Supporters argue the crackdown in Haringey highlights the disproportionate actions of the UK authorities against Kurdish individuals, and question the motives behind the increasing surveillance and police intervention, which reflect a broader pattern of criminalisation targeting Kurdish activists globally.
British mainstream media outlets reported widely on the London protests, reflecting both an official narrative and critical voices from the Kurdish community. The Standard concentrated on the arrests at the community centre, quoting the authorities on the focus on counter-terrorism, but also noting community concerns about overreach.
The Telegraph covered the protests alongside statements from Kurdish community representatives who criticised the heavy-handedness of the law enforcement officers and drew attention to broader patterns targeting Kurdish activism, while ABC News and GB News included statements from authorities defending the raids.
The demonstration is part of a series of solidarity actions as activists continue to demand justice and respect for cultural autonomy, as well as freedom for those detained.
