Pictures & Videos of the many protests for Kobani

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Save Kobane rally in Toronto

Hundreds demonstrate in Toronto in support of Syrian town battling Islamic State



Hundreds of demonstrators wove through the streets of downtown Toronto on Saturday in support of an embattled Syrian town near the border of Turkey.

Kobani has been under siege for several weeks, with Kurdish fighters battling against the militant group calling itself Islamic State. A United States-led coalition appears to have done little to repel Islamic State’s advances.

“The situation is Kobani is very critical,” said Chato Wany, vice president of the Greater Toronto Kurdish House, the group that organized Saturday’s demonstration.

Attendees waved Kurdish, Canadian and American flags while chanting “Long live Kurdistan” and other messages in support of Kobani. Wany said the primarily Kurdish demonstrators were also joined by supporters from Toronto’s Jewish and Armenian communities.

The group gathered at the U.S. Consulate General on University Ave. and moved south towards the Turkish Consulate General on Lower Spadina. The event was meant to highlight the need for a corridor between Kobani and neighbouring Turkey, according to Wany.

Kurdish officials recently appealed to Turkey to open a corridor that would allow remaining civilians to leave the town, and arms and supplies to enter.

“We’re trying to bring awareness to opening a corridor, a way for people to freely go back to Syria,” said attendee Rahman Taban, who moved to Canada from Iranian Kurdistan about 20 years ago.

Saturday’s demonstration was largely peaceful, though one woman was arrested for breaching the peace in front of the U.S. Consulate General. Police removed her from the scene at the request of the event’s organizers after a scuffle broke out over the use of American flags.

Later, a small number of demonstrators threw eggs at the Turkish Consulate as the event was wrapping up shortly after 4 p.m. Police encouraged demonstrators to leave the scene.

Representatives from the Turkish Consulate could not be reached for comment.

A larger, similar demonstration was held in Germany on Saturday, with more than 20,000 Kurdish immigrants protesting against the Islamic State group in Duesseldorf.

In Kobani, at least 500 people have been killed and thousands more have been forced to flee across the border into Turkey since the Islamic State launched their offensive.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/10 ... state.html

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The Independent

Isis in Kobani: Thousands march in London, urging action to help Kurds



Protesters want Turkey to do more to help in the fight against the militants besieging the town just across their border with Syria
Joe Krishnan

Thousands took to the streets of London yesterday to protest against the plight of Kurdish people trapped in the grip of Islamic State (Isis) terrorists.

Demonstrators marched on Downing Street. They want Turkey, a Nato member, to do more to help in the fight against Isis, and want the Kurds fighting in Kobani, Syria, near the Turkish border, to be sent "arms and humanitarian supplies". Protesters accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of supporting Isis by blocking access for Kurds to pass through Turkish borders.

Among the supporters in Parliament Square were the Socialist Workers Party and Stop the War Coalition. Both organisations echoed protesters' calls to allow the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) – designated a terrorist organisation by the United States and European Union due to its insurgency against Turkey – back into the region to fight against Isis.

John Read, an SWP speaker, said: "Many feel that the Turkish government is allowing this to happen – that's why they're protesting. It has closed borders to Kurdish people who want to help defend Kobani, because of PKK."

In the midst of the Kurdish rally, protesters were also demonstrating against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – a trade agreement that critics say will compel public organisations, including the NHS and the BBC, to allow private corporations to bid for services. The London rally was part of a Europe-wide protest. Campaigners 38 Degrees have collected more than 180,000 signatures against the agreement.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 89271.html

Anthea: Media coverage at last

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Kurds go on to the train tracks during March for Kobane in Dortmund yesterday

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Solidarity with Kobani in Argentina!

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Kobani protest in the lobby of the UK Parliament yesterday

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Very big march by Kurds in central Stockholm right now

Everyone chanting "Stop ISIS!"

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Several thousands demonstrating now in Paris
(I think this is taking place now)

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Today outside BBC in London



And in Trafalgar Square

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Toronto protest demanding that the international
community help to return kidnapped Kurdish woman

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Kurds take street of Vienna, Austria tonight for Kobane.