Seven Arrested in London for Suspected PKK Links, Followed by Protest Arrests

Seven individuals have now been apprehended by counter-terrorism police in London due to suspected involvement with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a proscribed militant organization. The Metropolitan Police reported that two women, aged 59 and 31, and four men, aged 27, 62, 56, and 23, were taken into custody from separate addresses during the early hours of Wednesday. The seventh person, a 31-year-old man, was arrested in west London later that afternoon. All of them have been detained under the Terrorism Act and are currently in custody. The force indicated that there is no perceived imminent threat to the public related to the matters under investigation. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization in Turkey, the US, and the UK. It has been engaged in conflict with the Turkish state since the 1980s, seeking greater rights for the country’s substantial Kurdish minority. Officers are conducting searches at a minimum of eight locations across the capital, including the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey, as part of the ongoing investigation. The search operation is anticipated to last up to two weeks, during which the centre and its surrounding area will be closed to the public. Following these arrests, large crowds gathered outside the community centre and remained there into the evening. Videos depict dozens of police officers forming a line and pushing back protesters. Scotland Yard confirmed that four protesters were arrested on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organization, assaulting an emergency worker, making threats to kill, and committing a racially aggravated public order offence. Ishak Milani, from the Kurdish People’s Assembly in the UK, characterized the raids on “community spaces” as “unjust and heavy-handed”. He stated, “This aggressive act is not only an attack on our people but also an affront to the principles of democracy, justice, and human rights that the UK claims to uphold.” In response to the accusations of heavy-handedness, the Met Police commented: “These are targeted arrests of those we suspect of being involved in terrorist activity linked to the group.” Acting Commander Helen Flanagan said the force “understand these arrests have caused some concern amongst certain local communities – particularly those in the Kurdish community”. She added that the arrests, concerning “very serious allegations,” followed a “significant” investigation. “This investigation and activity is about protecting all of our communities, but particularly those in our Turkish and Kurdish communities.” “I would urge anyone who thinks they may have been affected or targeted by those linked to the PKK to get in touch.” Police stated that officers will hold meetings with community leaders as the investigation progresses. The Met also added that additional officers would be present in the community in the coming days. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.