“Braid” sparks outrage across borders

Several European and Turkish parliamentarians, along with journalists, feminist activists, and artists from various countries, voiced their strong anger and denunciation of the crime committed by a mercenary against a YPJ fighter in the city of Raqqa, after he killed her and cut off her hair braid.

In this context, European Parliament member Abir Al-Sahlani, representing Sweden’s Centre Party and known for her opposition to extremism and her support for Kurdish rights, women’s rights, and democracy, expressed her solidarity with the Kurdish fighter by braiding her hair and sharing a video accompanied by the phrases: “The Kurdish people are stronger than this terrorism” and “Kurdish women are greater than life.”

In her message, Al-Sahlani stressed that solidarity must not be selective or interest-based, saying: “We should not leave these strong people alone. Human rights are not an option, nor should they be activated only when convenient,” concluding with the words: “Long live the Kurds and Kurdistan.”

For her part, journalist Christine Shaheen published several posts expressing cross-identity solidarity, stating: “I am a Druze woman standing in solidarity with a Kurdish woman and with an Alawite woman, because she refused to surrender her honor to strangers and paid the price of what is called freedom.” In another post, she wrote: “The braid is not hair; the braid is a stance. Whoever fails to understand its meaning is afraid.” She considered what happened an attempt to kill dignity after they failed to break it while she was alive.

Several Turkish parliamentarians also announced their solidarity, including Pervin Buldan, Meral Danış Beştaş, Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, and Feleknaz Uca. MP Sezai Temelli raised the image of the mercenary during an official parliamentary session, stating: “Our state supports these people.”

Globally, millions of women and young women of various nationalities shared videos on social media platforms showing themselves braiding their hair, as a symbolic expression of global feminist solidarity and an unequivocal rejection of all forms of violence and violations committed against women.

A-H 

ANHA