STRASBOURG – European Union lawmakers were briefly escorted out of the European Parliament on Wednesday after a group of Kurdish independence activists disrupted proceedings.
Around noon, a group of about 15 to 20 people started shouting loudly in the visitor’s gallery opposite the chamber. They raised flags bearing the face of imprisoned Abdullah Ocalan, one of the founders of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a militant group that has fought Turkey for an independent state. Turkey, the US and the European Union have designated the PKK a terrorist organization.
A group of parliamentarians, including the body’s president Roberta Metsola, went to negotiate with the workers, who were refusing to leave and were threatening to jump off the visitor balcony.
“There was a concern that they would harm themselves as part of their protest,” Metsola told MEPs when parliament resumed three hours later.
“I am happy to inform you that the situation has been resolved peacefully,” he said. “No one was hurt and no one was injured and all protesters are now out of the Parliament complex.”
Before making his statement, Metsola was seen leaving the visitors’ gallery with his top team. Metsola thanked fellow MEPs Giuliano Pisapia, Evin Incir, Sergey Lagodinksy and Ilhan Kyuchyuk for supporting them in their efforts to calm the protesters in the room.
Metsola criticized the protesters for disrupting the democratic activities of the parliament and thanked the institution’s security services for their response, saying, “This is not the way to attract the attention of the European Parliament.” “I will not give their cause the publicity they were looking for.”
Susanna Cecardi, an Italian MEP from the far-right League party, described the parliament’s security response as “shameful”. Twitter,
The group of activists distributed leaflets that said: “The conditions of solitary confinement imposed on Abdullah Ocalan are unique in the world and contrary to all international conventions on the protection of prisoners’ rights.”
“The fact that no information about his health is being leaked is a cause for concern for millions of people,” the flyer said.
In video footage shared with POLITICO, the group can be heard saying: “Free Abdullah Ocalan.”
Pietro Lombardi contributed reporting.