- Title: Several thousand in Germany's Cologne protest against Erdogan
- Date: 12th November 2016
- Summary: COLOGNE, GERMANY (NOVEMBER 12, 2016) (REUTERS) WIDE DEMONSTRATION WITH COLOGNE CATHEDRAL IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS AND FLAGS FLAG DEPICTING PICTURE OF JAILED PKK LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN PLACARD SHOWING ERDOGAN AS VAMPIRE AND PLACARD READING (German) "WE DEMAND NOT MUCH, PEACE IN TURKEY IS OUR AIM" SPEAKER ON STAGE VARIOUS OF MELEK YILDIZ, MEMBER OF BOARD OF ALEVI COMMUNITY IN GERMANY, SPEAKING TO PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (German) MELEK YILDIZ, MEMBER OF BOARD OF ALEVI COMMUNITY IN GERMANY, SAYING: "We only demand clear and open words from the German government, but also actions. We heard enough words, and now action has to follow. The German government must use their relationship to Turkey for putting pressure on the country and making Erdogan renunciate his anti-democratic policies." WIDE DEMONSTRATION FLAGS FEMALE PROTESTERS IN TRADITIONAL OUTFITS (SOUNDBITE) (German) MEHMET KILIC, FORMER MEMBER OF GERMAN PARLIAMENT (2009-2013), SAYING: "Turkey is at a point from which it can't get out of anymore, and that is why the democrats in Turkey need the support of Europe. Only with that solidarity, can we successfully fight Erdogan. Otherwise he will have a huge problem, also for Europe, because he reached Europe with his longs arms, and he operates in Germany as well with his intelligence structures." PLACARD WITH ERDOGAN CARICATURE PROTESTERS MAKING PEACE SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (German) POLICE SPOKESMAN WOLFGANG BALDES, SAYING: "So far there is no indication that he could be anything but peaceful. Now there are some 10,000 people here at the Deutzer Werft (Deutz wharf - location of protest), the police is present here at the location as well as in the inner city. So everybody can get home safely." FLAG STAGE AND SPEAKERS WIDE RALLY
- Embargoed: 27th November 2016 15:19
- Keywords: Germany Turkey Erdogan coup demonstration
- Location: COLOGNE, GERMANY
- City: COLOGNE, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA0015851HL3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Several thousand people, mostly Alevi and Kurds, protested peacefully in Cologne on Saturday (November 12) against the Turkish government and its crack-down after the failed coup attempt. They demanded political consequences from the European Union.
The protest was directed at the current political situation in Turkey. Many of the protesters, many of them waving flags with a picture of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, said that the European Union was looking on while Erdogan established a "dictatorship" in Turkey.
"We heard enough words, and now actions have to follow," said Melek Yildiz, member of the board of the Alevi community in Germany. "The German government must use their relationship to Turkey for putting pressure on the country and making Erdogan renunciate his anti-democratic policies."
The former member of the German parliament (2009-2013), Mehmet Kilic, said that democrats in Turkey need support from Europe because "Turkey is at a point from which it can't get out of anymore." Only with Europe behind them, can they "successfully fight Erdogan", Kilic said.
Some 30,000 demonstrators were expected to attend the protest because of a Kurdish rally in Dusseldorf that was cancelled and moved to Cologne. Demonstrators arrived in over 30 buses.
The police did not expect any disturbances, but were present in large numbers.
"So far there is no indication that he could be anything but peaceful," said police spokesman Wolfgang Baldes. "Now there are some 10,000 people here at the Deutzer Werft (Deutz wharf - location of protest), the police is present here at the location as well as in the inner city."
The Alevis (Alawites) are a religious minority in Turkey of approximately 20 million people. They are the second largest Islamic denomination after the Sunnis. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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