Hundreds gathered in London on Sunday to protest the Metropolitan Police’s recent attempt to raid the Kurdish Community Centre (KCC). Participants, including members of various migrant communities, regional groups, the Socialist Workers Party, and Kurdish organisations, expressed strong opposition to what they view as the criminalisation of the Kurdish community.
The protest featured chants against the Turkish government, accusing it of state terror, fascism, and alleged connections with ISIS. Demonstrators expressed their solidarity with Kurdish organisations, chanting slogans such as, ‘We are all PKK, PKK is us!’ This was in direct response to the police’s justification for the attempted raid, which was reportedly the presence of a flag belonging to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) at the KCC.
The Democratic Power Union, a coalition of diverse groups, organised the protest. They highlighted a belief that the raid was driven by anti-Kurdish sentiment and suggested an intent to shut down the KCC.
The protest commenced at Wood Green Square, where attendees expressed severe criticism of the British police, particularly condemning the impact of the raid on young children present.
Meanwhile, KCC management has sued the Metropolitan Police for unauthorised attack on private property, targeting Kurds through criminalisation, and exerting arbitrary pressure. Lawyers for the KCC have requested an explanation for the raid, to which the Metropolitan Police have not yet responded. Haringey local police stated that the raid was conducted beyond their jurisdiction.
The incident, which took place on the evening of 26 November, resulted in minor injuries to three Kurdish activists. The police ultimately had to withdraw from the KCC premises.