Last Sunday, the small but not insignificant Kurdish community in Edinburgh came together for the ‘Defend Rojava’ demonstration.
Attendees aimed to protest Donald Trump’s removal of US troops from Syria and display their solidarity with the YPG and the Kurdistan mission as a whole.
A small but vocal group formed outside the Scottish National Gallery on Prince’s Street in the afternoon, with YPG and YPJ flags flying overhead and placards displaying the images and descriptions of YPG soldiers held high.
The group was joined by Scottish Socialist Party members, who flew their flags alongside those of the YPG, displaying solidarity with Rojava’s anti-Capitalist ideology.
British nationals of all backgrounds and stances joined the group in their anti-Erdogan, pro-Kurdistan chants, displaying their support for the feminist, democratic, and libertarian ideology at the heart of Rojava, opposing Conservative ‘neo-liberal’ politics of those who left the region without defence against Turkish forces. The mood of the demonstration was more sombre than anything else, as many of the protesters were refugees themselves and felt a palpable sympathy for those who had remained in the region and were, in their eyes, being left to be killed. After two hours, the demonstration disbanded, with promises being made over a megaphone that the group would return soon if the situation does not improve.
Image: Rory Biggs O’May