DEM Party statement on incidents during Newroz celebrations: 'Describing themselves as Nationalist Kurds...'

The DEM Party issued a statement on its X account regarding the burning of flags featuring Deniz Gezmiş and the attempt to remove LGBT+ individuals from the area during the Newroz celebrations. The statement noted that the acts were 'carried out by a group that describes itself as Nationalist Kurdish and uses Nazi symbols.'

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DEM Party statement on incidents during Newroz celebrations: 'Describing themselves as Nationalist Kurds...'

During the Newroz celebrations held in Istanbul, a group set fire to some flags featuring the image of Deniz Gezmiş. Meanwhile, LGBT+ individuals present at the rally site were forcibly targeted for removal from the area.

The DEM Party Istanbul branch issued a statement on its X (Twitter) account on behalf of the rally's organizing committee. According to the statement, the incidents were 'carried out by a group that describes itself as Nationalist Kurdish and uses Nazi symbols.'

"DESCRIBING THEMSELVES AS NATIONALIST KURDS..."

The statement included the following remarks:

“Groups positioned within the area aimed to carry out racist and sexist attacks, and there was an attempted attack on our allied organizations such as the Struggle Union (Mücadele Birliği) and on banners featuring Deniz Gezmiş, a common value of all revolutionaries. Although the organizing committee and all personnel attempted to respond to and prevent the attacks immediately, they fell short in intervening in and preventing all of the issues due to the physical conditions of the area. The attack was carried out by a group that acts as a state apparatus, describes itself as Nationalist Kurdish, and uses Nazi symbols—a group we have encountered at Newroz celebrations in previous years as well. Attacks against women, LGBT+ individuals, the revolutionary democratic forces we walk with, or the common values of revolutionaries are not acceptable to any component of our organizing committee. We accept taking all necessary precautions in this regard as a historical and political responsibility.”