On October 17 parliament voted 507-19 in favour of the decision to occupy South Kurdistan that had been set on the agenda with the aim of realising cross-border operations. Whilst all bourgeois system parties, from AKP to the CHP and MHP, agreed on parliament`s decision, the MPs of the DTP and the MP of the ODP in Istanbul Ufuk Uras voted against it.
Democratic and communist forces all over Turkey and Kurdistan went on the streets to protest against the decision of parliament. On the evening of October 16 the ESP, DTP, HOC, SDP and different other organisations organised an action at Taksim Tram Station. The statements made dealt with the repression against the Kurdish people and the Kurdish press and also stressed that together with the approval attacks will increase. At the action, a call was made for the united struggle of the Turkish and Kurdish people.
The ESP in Okmeydani, Istanbul, organised an action in the evening of October 16 at Dikilitas Park opening a banner read "One single fist, one single barricade against cross-border operations and fascist attacks. No to the approval". At the action the mass said. "The solution of the Kurdish question is based on annihilation, military operations and the state terror on the Kurdish people".
During the hours where the debate on the approval took place in parliament revolutionary forces such as the ESP, HOC, DHP, EHP, Kaldirac, Odak, BDSP and Partizan organised an action at Yuksel Street in Ankara. In their statement the revolutionaries said: "We must say no to this approval to make an end to the atmosphere of conflict that is trying to be increased between the people, to realise the wish of the people to have an equal, free and fraternal life. No to the approval, long live the fraternity of the people".