Turkish Communists protest in solidarity with Polish comrades

The legal proceedings targeting the Communist Party of Poland continue to be brought to public attention in Turkey by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) which held rallies and protests both before and after the anti-democratic verdict by Poland's Constitutional Tribunal on December 3.

The legal proceedings targeting the Communist Party of Poland continue to be brought to public attention in Turkey by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP).

On December 1, TKP Organization in Ankara held a protest in front of the Polish Embassy, carrying a banner reading “Hands Off the Communist Party of Poland.” In its statement, TKP emphasized the political motives behind the trial scheduled for December 3, noting:

“The attack by the Polish government should not be viewed as an isolated incident targeting only Polish communists. In our country, in all other capitalist countries, and in international developments, the need for a strong and socially rooted communist movement is steadily growing. This is the underlying reason for the rise of anti-communism in Poland and across the European Union. It is also why former U.S. President Trump designated the week of the October Revolution as ‘anti-communism week.’

Anti-popular governments and the capitalist class—whose policies intensify wars and conflicts, deepen exploitation and poverty, divert public funds from social needs to military spending, and thereby expose ever more clearly the inequalities and lack of prospects faced by society—seek to silence the communists who speak out against these injustices.

Their unresolved hostility toward the October Revolution also persists. That historic step toward ending inequality and exploitation, and the profound legacy of the Soviet Union, left an enduring mark on Poland and on Europe as a whole. Although the dissolution of the Soviet Union gave tremendous ground to the counterrevolutionary camp, today’s attempts to ban communist political activity in Poland and elsewhere in Europe are a direct consequence of this process. Yet, despite the removal of communist symbols, the respect and longing felt for the Soviet Union has not been extinguished.

The attacks faced by Polish communists—carriers of an important socialist legacy—must be understood within this context. Standing in solidarity with them is our duty against those who seek to erase this legacy and outlaw communism.”

The solidarity actions carried out by communists in other parts of the world with the Communist Party of Poland on the same day were also greeted.

See also: Workers Party of Ireland protests the Polish state’s attack on the Communist Party of Poland

See also: Hands off the Communist Party of Poland!: KKE

Following the trial on December 3, TKP continued to expose the unlawful verdict through its publications.

Most recently, on December 10, the Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) brought the issue once again to public attention.

In Eskişehir city, TKG staged a protest against the Polish Ambassador to Ankara, who had come to meet with university students. The Ambassador was confronted outside the venue with a banner reading “Communism Cannot Be Banned.”

In the declaration addressing the Ambassador, it is stated:

"It is unacceptable for those who seek to ban communism in their own country to lecture students in ours about freedom.”

TKG reiterated its demand for Polish authorities to cease their political interference and “keep their hands off the communists of Poland,” and announced that it will intensify its solidarity with the Communist Party of Poland as it faces an unlawful ban.