STOCKHOLM, Sweden

Even as Finland and Sweden’s continued support for the terrorist group YPG/PKK has held up their NATO membership bids, supporters of the terror group took to the streets of the countries’ capitals and openly held protests Saturday.

YPG/PKK sympathizers gathered before the Finnish parliament and called on Helsinki to reject Turkish demands that it cease supporting and tolerating the terrorist group.

The protest stretched on for about two hours, with participants carrying banners and symbols of the terror group.

In Sweden, carrying posters showing the convicted YPG/PKK ringleader, who is serving a life sentence in Türkiye, supporters of the YPG/PKK met in Norra Bantorget Square in the capital Stockholm and called on the government to impose an arms embargo on Ankara.

Sweden is under pressure from Türkiye to end its support for the YPG/PKK terror group if it wants to join NATO, with Ankara saying the bloc is a security alliance and that any potential members must take a clear stance against terrorism.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terror organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK terror group's Syrian offshoot.