Call to Action: Solidarity with Rojava—Against the Turkish Invasion!
:An Urgent Call from a Network of Organizations
On October 6, 2019, the Trump administration announced it was pulling US troops out of northern Syria, giving Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a green light to invade Rojava, carry out ethnic cleansing, and forcibly resettle the area. In response, we published this call to action, calling on people around the world to engage in protest and/or disruption at Turkish consulates, US government offices, arms manufacturers, and businesses connected with the Turkish government, such as Turkish Airlines. A list of solidarity demonstrations appears at the end of this text, below.
Since 2012, the autonomous region of Rojava has hosted an inspiring multi-ethnic experiment in self-determination and women’s autonomy, all while fighting the Islamic State (ISIS). After years of struggle, despite sustaining massive casualties, fighters from Rojava participated in liberating all of the territory that ISIS had occupied and freeing those who had been held captive in ISIS strongholds.
In an attempt to justify permitting Turkey to invade Syria, Trump has tweeted that US taxpayers should not have to pay to keep ISIS fighters detained. In fact, the US has not paid a cent to detain captured ISIS fighters; that has been completely organized by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The reality is that the Turkish invasion of Kurdish territory will create the conditions for ISIS to reemerge and resume operations in Syria and around the world. For years, Turkey has permitted weapons, recruits, and resources to reach ISIS through its borders.
Both ISIS and the Turkish invasion pose an existential threat to all the ethnic and religious groups indigenous to the region, including Arabs, Christians (Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Syriacs), Turkmens, Chechens, Alevites, and Yazidis. Many of these groups have gained a voice in their own lives for the first time, yet now face massacre at the hands of the Turkish military and the jihadists.
Turkey’s invasion of Rojava sets a new precedent for military aggression, ethnic cleansing, and the destruction of egalitarian and feminist experiments like the one in Rojava. It sets the stage for more bloodshed and oppression everywhere around the world, paving the way for ethno-nationalist autocrats like Trump, Erdoğan, Bashar al-Assad, Jair Bolsonaro, and Vladimir Putin to dominate world politics for generations to come.
For months, people in Rojava have called for international solidarity in the event of an invasion. We must bring attention to the plight of the people in Rojava and make it known that there will be consequences for this.
To keep silent is to be complicit.
We call on all people of good conscience to engage in protest and disruption at Turkish consulates, US government offices, arms manufacturers, and businesses connected with the Turkish government, such as Turkish Airlines. The Rojava Solidarity Committee Europe has joined organizers in Rojava in calling for a day of action on October 12 against the Turkish invasion; we endorse this call, and call for further actions before and after October 12.
We need to build a context for broad-based direct action as a step towards building a global movement that can make such atrocities impossible. Together, we can stop the invasion.
See you in the streets.
Tools
- Some upcoming actions
- List of complicit corporations
- Another list of complicit corporations
Click on the image to download a printable PDF of the above call as a flier.
Another version of this call as a printable PDF in bifold.
Endorsements
If your organization endorses this call, please circulate this text and contact us at coordination.for.rojava@protonmail.com to sign on. This list will be updated regularly at crimethinc.com and itsgoingdown.org.
- Coordination for the Defense of Rojava
- 1312 Press
- Acid Communist League of Atlanta
- Agency (www.anarchistagency.com/)
- Albany General Defense Committee
- Horacio Almanza Alcalde
- AK Press (www.akpress.org/)
- Anarchist Federation (UK)
- Anarkis.org
- Anarresti Hacker Union
- Angry Socialist Community - ASC (@AngrySocialists)
- Anon Anarchist Action
- The Anti-Capitalist League (facebook.com/anticapitalistleague)
- Antifa Sacramento
- Antifascists of the Seven Hills
- Antifascistas Belo Horizonte - Brazil
- Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement (awsm.nz)
- Asociación de Amistad con Kurdistán (Spain)
- Atlanta Antifascists
- The Autonomous University of Political Education
- The Base
- Bay Area Mesopotamia Solidarity Committee
- Black Cat House
- Black Rose Anarchist Federation - Los Angeles Local
- Black Socialists of America
- Bloomington Anarchist Black Cross
- The Boiling Point Collective (http://facebook.com/pg/boilingpointkzoo/about/)
- Bonfire Collective, Santa Barbara, CA
- Debbie Bookchin
- The Rev. Dr. Colin Bossen, Unitarian Universalist Minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Houston
- Boulder County Democratic Socialists of America
- Breakaway Social Center
- Brigada 71 - NY Cosmos Supporters (@CosmosAFA)
- Shane Burley
- Campus Marxist-Humanists
- Carne Ross (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyqG-71zOi0&feature=youtu.be)
- Chicago Anti-Fascist Action
- Chicago General Defense Committee
- Noam Chomsky
- Colorado Springs Anti-Fascists
- Cooperation Jackson
- CrimethInc. Workers’ Collective
- The Dandelion Network
- Decolonize This Place (decolonizethisplace.org)
- Demand Utopia Seattle
- Democratic Socialists of America - Central Jersey
- Democratic Socialists of America - Cincinnati (dsacincy.org, @dsacincy)
- Democratic Socialists of America - Communist Caucus
- Democratic Socialists of America - Harrisburg, PA
- Democratic Socialists of America - Libertarian Socialist Caucus
- Democratic Socialists of America - Metro Atlanta
- Democratic Socialists of America - National
- Democratic Socialists of America - Sacramento
- Democratic Socialists of America - San Francisco (Immigrant Rights & International Solidarity)
- Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) - Bloomington
- Denver Anarchist Black Cross
- Direct Action Front for Palestine
- DC Antifascist Coalition
- Ricardo Dominguez, Associate Professor, UCSD
- Earth Strike International (www.earth-strike.com)
- Economics for Everyone - Olympia (facebook.com/EconomicsforEveryoneOly/)
- Emergency Committee for Rojava (ECR) (www.defendrojava.org)
- Extinction Rebellion Seattle
- The Fayer Collective
- Fédération Anarchiste - France (federation-anarchiste.org)
- The Final Straw
- George Fish, Indianapolis
- Frontline Organization Working to End Racism (FLOWER)
- Flyover Social Center
- Gilets Jaunes de Saillans, France
- Le groupe libertaire Jules Durand (le-libertaire.net)
- Andrej Grubačić, Professor and Department Chair, Anthropology and Social Change, CIIS
- Grupo Erva Rebelde Anarquista (GERA), Porto, Portugal
- David Graeber
- A Gralha Self-Managed Social Center - Porto, Portugal
- Gulf Revolutionary Artist Formation
- Hispagatos
- The Holler Network
- Industrial Workers of the World - Atlanta
- Industrial Workers of The World - Central NJ GMB
- Industrial Workers of the World - West Virginia
- Indy Food Not Bombs (@FNB_INDY)
- Inhabit
- International Red Front (https://www.instagram.com/irf.official)
- It’s Going Down
- Kali Akuno
- Kasa Invisível Belo Horizonte - Brazil
- Knoxville Anti-Fascist Action
- Knoxville Radical Alliance
- Leveller Communications (leveller.info)
- Little Village Solidarity Network
- Love and Rage Media (@loveandrageNY)
- The Lucy Parsons Center
- Midwest Unrest (@MW_Unrest)
- Minnesota United Against Fascism (@MNUnitedAF)
- Mulheres pela Revolução (https://www.facebook.com/mulherespelarevolucao/)
- Murfreesboro Anti-Fascist Action (Mboro AFA)
- Neighborhood Anarchist Collective (neighborhoodanarchists.org)
- New York City Antifa (https://twitter.com/NYCantifa)
- No Space for Hate Bloomington (https://nospace4hate.btown-in.org/)
- North Valley Mutual Aid
- Northeastern Mutual Aid and Defense (NOMAD)
- Noumenon Distro
- Olympia Assembly (olyassembly.org)
- Olympia Solidarity Network (olyassembly.org/olysol/)
- One People’s Project (idavox.com)
- International Outlive Them Network
- Pacific NorthWest Antifascist Workers Collective (http://pnwawc.com/)
- Palang Hitam Indonesia (Instagram.com/palang__hitam)
- Palestine Solidarity Committee - Blooomington, IN
- Panic! in the Discord Collective
- Dr. Ian Alan Paul, Assistant Professor of Emerging Media at Stony Brook University
- People’s Defense League - South Louisiana
- PM Press (www.pmpress.org/)
- Popmob - Portland, OR
- Progressive Global Commons (@ProGloCommons)
- A Radical Guide (www.radical-guide.com)
- rek2 (as individual)
- Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement- Elm City
- Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement - NYC
- Revolutionary Organizing Against Racism (ROAR Collective)
- The Right to the City - Timisoara, Romania
- Robert Evans (@IwriteOK)
- Rojava Azadi Madrid
- Rojava Montréal
- Rojava Solidarity Colorado (@RojavaSoliCO)
- Rojava Solidarity Portland (facebook.com/rojavasolidarityportland/)
- Rojava Solidarity Seattle
- Rose City Antifa, Portland, Oregon
- Georgia Sagri
- San Gabriel Valley Mutual Aid
- Santa Barbara Student Activist Network
- Scuffletown Anti-Repression Committee
- Seattle Rising Tide
- Second Bektashi Sufi Mission to the West
- Micol Seigel, author of Violence Work
- Le Social Club (Le-Social.Club)
- Soflaexit (Soflaexit.com)
- Solidarity Against Fascism East Bay (SAFEBay)
- Solidarity and Direct Action - Seattle
- Sprout Distro
- Subversión #1312 (Subversion1312.org)
- Tar Sands Blockade - Texas
- The Teardown Community
- The Torch Antifascist Network
- Tulungagung Anarchist Individual Network
- Union Communiste Libertaire (unioncommunistelibertaire.org/)
- Voices in Movement
- A World Without Police
- Youth Liberation Front (Portland, Seattle, Wisconsin, Carolina, Bay Area, Illinois)
Upcoming Solidarity Events
Saturday, October 12
- Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, E Dove Building, 425 Northern Avenue, 8 am to 1 pm—details
- Albany, NY, Townsend Park, 11 am
- Chicago, IL, 401 N. Michigan Avenue, 11 am-1 pm—details
- Knoxville, TN, 11:30 am—details
- Montréal, Canada, 12 pm—details
- New London, CT, New London Parade Plaza—details
- Norfolk, VA, 12 pm—details
- Washington, DC, 1 pm—details
- New York, NY, Union Square, 2 pm—details
- Portland, OR, Brooklyn City Park, 3400 SE Milwaukie Ave, 2 pm—details
- San Fransisco, CA—International Arrivals Terminal at SFO Airport, 3 pm—details
- Bloomington, IN, Indiana’s People’s Park, North Dunn Street and Kirkwood Avenue, 5 pm—details
- Rochester, NY, 6 pm—details
- Richmond, Virginia, meet at Carytown Kroger parking lot, 8 pm—details
- Paris, France, 2 pm, place de la République—détails
- Strasbourg, France, 2 pm, place Kleber—détails
- Marseille, France, 2 pm, Canebière—détails
- Bordeaux, France, 2 pm, Place de la Bourse—détails
- Lyon, France, place Bellecour—détails
- Tours, France, 3 pm, place Jean-Jaurès—détails
- Nantes, France, 4 pm, place du Commerce—détails
Sunday, October 13
- Los Angeles, CA, 12 pm—details
- San Francisco, CA, Union Square, 12 pm—details
- Boston, MA, Massachusetts State House, 1 pm—details
- Philadelphia, PA, 1 pm—details
- Atlanta, GA, 2 pm—details
- Seattle, WA, 3 pm—details
- South Bend, IN, Morris Fountain (near Michigan and Colfax) , 2-3 pm—details
- Toronto, Canada, 3 pm—details
- White River Junction, VT, Upper Valley Food Coop, 193 N. Main St., 3:30 pm-5 pm—details
Thursday, October 17
- Dallas, TX, 5 pm—details
Friday, October 18
- Detrioit, MI, Detroit Metro Airport, 4 pm—details
Saturday, October 19
- San Francisco, CA, Union Square, 333 Post Street, 12 o’clock high noon—details
- Seattle, WA, Seatac Airport, 3 PM—details
Sunday, October 20
Seattle, WA, 2 pm—details
Thursday, October 24
Documentary Screening and Fundraiser at the Reformed Church of Highland Park, 19 S. 2nd Ave, Highland Park, New Jersey, 6 pm—details
Friday, October 25
Montpelier, VT in front of the State House, 5:30 pm
Saturday, November 2
-
Bellevue, Nebraska, 1040 Bruin Blvd., 4 pm—details
-
Los Angeles, CA, Los Angeles Grand Park, 10 am—details
-
Oakland, CA, Oscar Grant Plaza (“Frank Ogawa” plaza, according to the state), 2 pm—details
-
Portland, OR, Chapman Square, SW 4TH Ave Ste 520, 2 pm—details
There is a list of international actions inspired by another call to action here.
The First Two Days of Solidarity Actions following Trump’s Announcement
Monday, October 7
- Toronto, ON, Canada: Solidarity protest outside the US consulate.
-
Anarchist solidarity banners in Appalachia.
https://twitter.com/zerofuckingcool/status/1181393012632555521?s=20
Tuesday, October 8
- Solidarity banners dropped in Lincoln, Nebraska. Report and photos here.
- Ottawa, ON: Protest outside US embassy.
-
Washington, DC: Rally outside the White House by Kurdish groups and antifascists.
https://twitter.com/lacymacauley/status/1181647582361206784?s=20
Wednesday, October 9
- New York City, NY, 2 pm—details
- Boston, MA, 1 pm—details
- Vancouver, BC, Canada, 12:30 pm—details
- Washington, DC, 5:30 pm—details
- Strasbourg, France, 1:30 pm, devant le Conseil de l’Europe—détails
- Toulouse, France, 6:30 pm, Métro Jean Jaurès—détails
- Grenoble, France, 6 pm, place Félix Poulat—détails
