Marchers walk down Regent Street Pic: Lucy Domachowski

At least seven local organisations joined 10,000 protesters at the ‘Stop Turkey’s War on Kurds’ demonstration in Central London yesterday.

The organisers said the march was to show solidarity with the Kurdish people and “to condemn Turkish state’s atrocities against Kurdish civilians in North Kurdistan (South East Turkey)”.

Supporters from Hackney included Turkish and Kurdish refugee support centre Halkevi, Turkish and Kurdish community centre Day-Mer and Turkish and Kurdish women’s rights group ROJ Women’s Association.

Left Unity Party at the demonstration Pic: Lucy Domachowski

The Left Unity Party with bases in all four East London Lines boroughs also supported the demonstration. Supporters from Tower Hamlets included political activism group Plan C and the Socialist Worker Party from Tower Hamlets and Lewisham.

Socialist Worker Party at the demonstration Pic: Lucy Domachowski

Socialist Worker Party national secretary, Charlie Kimber said: “We have a history of supporting Kurdish rights and the Kurdish national fight. We believe that the Kurds deserve to have their national rights recognised. We work closely with Kurdish groups in East London in particular around a whole range of issues, therefore it was quite natural for us to be part of the demonstration yesterday.”

The peaceful demonstration started outside the BBC building at 12pm then continued along Regent Street to Trafalgar Square for a rally at 2pm.

A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police said: “We were in contact with the organisers before the demonstration took place” but would not disclose how many officers attended.

Organisers of the demonstration said: “Thank you to those who came and gave a massive voice to the Kuridsh people’s struggle who have been living under the oppressive Turkish Regime. Our first national demonstration was a huge success.”