UK: Scuffles break out between Erdogan supporters and pro-Kurdish group in London
W/S Scuffles between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supporters and pro-Kurdish group
C/U Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) flag
STO, Abdullah Gurlek, Protester (English): “AK government has shut down over 150 media outlets, have silenced Kurdish, Turkish progressive media, have imprisoned thousands of journalists, who are exposing the true face of AKP [Turkish President Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party].”
W/S Protesters arguing
W/S Pro-Kurdish supporters
SOT, Zafer Sirakaya, President of Union of European Turkish democrats (English): “This is a terrorist organisation, this is not a freedom of rally, this is not a freedom of speech, this is a terrorist organisation that is accepted also in England as a terrorist organisation, and your duty as a police officer is not allowing them.”
W/S Opposition supporters
SOT, Zafer Sirakaya, President of Union of European Turkish democrats (English): “For half an hour they are calling my president as a terrorist president and you are allowing them and just watching them.”
SOT, Police officer (English): “No I am not, sir.”
SOT, Zafer Sirakaya, President of Union of European Turkish democrats (English): “But they are still here.”
W/S Police vehicle
W/S Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supporters
Scuffles broke out between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supporters and a pro-Kurdish group, who were rallying against an AKP [Turkish President Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party] meeting taking place in Waltham Forest Town Hall, in London, on Friday.
The AKP [Turkish President Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party] meeting was organised by the Union of European Turkish democrats to mark Turkey’s failed coup attempt in 2016.
President of Union of European Turkish democrats Zafer Sirakaya asked a police officer to shut down the rally stating, “This is a terrorist organisation that is accepted also in England as a terrorist organisation, and your duty as a police officer is not allowing them.”
Opposition supporters waved flags in support of the PKK Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) flag and chanted against Erdogan. One protester Abdullah Gurlek condemned Erdogan stating, “AK government has shut down over 150 media outlets, have silenced Kurdish, Turkish progressive media, have imprisoned thousands of journalists, who are exposing the true face of AKP.”