Public outrage was expressed internationally as well as in Turkey over the armed attack in the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP’s) office in Izmir that resulted in the murder of Deniz Poyraz by a far-right gunman called Onur Gencer.
Several demonstrations took place on Thursday across Europe in protest against the racist attack and murder of Poyraz.
In Germany and in the UK, major protests were organised. Berlin staged a flash protest with the call of Nav-Berlin and Dest-Dan Women’s Assembly. In their press statement, the Berlin protest organisers said, “We are in solidarity with the HDP. Those responsible for this attack are the fascist Erdoğan regime and the Ministry of Interior. Such a fascist attack, which came after the Turkish government pointed to the HDP as a target, will not intimidade us. These attacks are, indeed, targeting not only the HDP, but the Kurdish people as a whole.”
A gathering in Weinerplatz in Cologne collectively chanted “the HDP is the people, the people are here”, “Long live international solidarity” and “Kurdistan will be the grave of fascism.” German and Kurdish activists at the demonstration condemned the killing of Deniz Poyraz and activists from Women Defend Rojava and the Alliance of Democratic Forces in Europe (ADGB) also spoke during the protest.
German, Kurdish and Turkish pro-democracy forces also took to the streets in Hamburg after a call to protest was issued by the Alliance of Democratic Forces of Hamburg. As speeches were made in German, Kurdish and Turkish, the protesters and speakers stressed that the targeting of Deniz Poyraz as a woman political activist was not a coincidence but a part of the Turkish government’s attack on women activists, who, they noted, “are the pioneers of the Kurdish freedom struggle and the struggle of all democratic forces.”
Women’s rights activist and writer Anja Flach stated that Turkey’s government, which has not been able to accept the election success of the HDP, wanted to trigger massacres and provocations. Hüseyin Ararat, the representative of the European Migrant Workers Federation, also condemned the attack and urged continuous solidarity with the HDP.
The Alliance of Democratic Forces of Britain (DGB) organised a protest in front of Wood Green Library in London. The Kurdish Peoples’ Assembly co-chair Elif Sarıcan said, “The fascist and regressive mentality will be defeated by the Kurdish women’s movement.”
In the joint statement that was read out on behalf of women’s organisations joining the demonstration, it was noted that: “This fascist mentality which was responsible for murdering Deniz Poyraz will be defeated. Those responsible for this attack are the fascist Erdoğan regime and the Ministry of the Interior. We call on everyone to embrace the HDP.”
“Wake up London! Wake up UK!,” the protesters chanted at the end of the demonstration.
