Strasbourg is preparing to host a significant demonstration this Saturday, February 14th, as thousands of Kurds from across europe converge to demand the release of their imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, and international recognition of Rojava, the Kurdish-administered region in northern Syria.
The demonstration, organized by over 200 Kurdish associations, is expected to draw nearly 15,000 participants traveling from France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Italy. Participants will gather on Boulevard de Lyon at 10:00 a.m. to begin the rally.
The Kurdish community’s concerns extend beyond the long-standing imprisonment of Öcalan, who has been held in Türkiye as 1999. Growing anxieties surrounding the Syrian government’s attempts to reassert control over national territory are fueling calls for international acknowledgement of Rojava’s autonomous governance, which has governed the region since the onset of the Syrian revolution in 2011.
The demonstration underscores the Kurdish diaspora’s continued advocacy for self-determination and the protection of Kurdish rights both within Türkiye and in Syria. A smaller contingent will also be participating in a simultaneous demonstration in Italy, highlighting the widespread nature of this movement across Europe.