Kurdistan Workers’ Party supporters stage provocative rally in France Under guise of “festival”

Supporters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a terrorist organisation, staged a provocative demonstration in Marseille, France, distributing propaganda at a so-called festival.

The protesters displayed flags symbolising the PKK and its leader, Abdullah Ocalan, and called for his release, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

The French Foreign Ministry has not yet addressed Anadolu's inquiries about why the demonstration was allowed, considering the PKK is classified as a terrorist organisation by both the EU and France. In 2021, Türkiye criticised French President Emmanuel Macron for meeting with members of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political arm of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes members of the YPG/PKK terrorist group.

The Turkish government has consistently urged France and other European nations to take a firmer stance against the PKK and its affiliates, viewing them as a significant national security threat. Over its 40-year terror campaign, the PKK, which is designated a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU, has been responsible for over 40,000 deaths, including those of women, children, and the elderly. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian branch.