Pro-Afrin protests shut down London, Manchester train stations

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Services at both London’s King’s Cross and Manchester Piccadilly stations halted as people held demonstrations against Turkey’s military operation in the Kurdish enclave of Afrin, northwestern Syria, police said on Sunday.

The protesters were waving Kurdish flags and disrupted traffic for several hours.

After the closure of Manchester Piccadilly train station, British Transport Police superintendent Mark Cleland said authorities appreciate and respect the right to peaceful protests.

“But those involved in this afternoon's incident will be subject to intense investigation, with a view to arrest and prosecute,” Cleland said.

A few hours later, the London’s King’s Cross protest erupted, forcing the train station to put its services on hold.

The station was shut down temporarily as police stopped protesters from accessing the tracks, British Transport police said.

The protestors later left the station and blocked Euston Road briefly before moving towards Russell Square.

The National Rail organization said King’s Cross station had been fully re-opened but trains there may still face delay or revision as the service recovers, according to BBC.

Kurds across Europe have organized demonstrations against the Turkish offensive on Afrin, which has been ongoing since Jan. 20.

Turkey and allied Syrian rebel groups began their operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) forces in Afrin in January, aiming to drive out the Kurdish fighters which Ankara views as a “terrorist group” linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which operates inside Turkey’s borders.

Editing by Nadia Riva