There’s now a street named after a British woman who died fighting against terrorists in Syria

A street in Bilbao has had its name changed in memory of British woman Anna Campbell. Turkey killed her in the formerly Kurdish-held region of Afrin in northern Syria (aka Rojava) while she was fighting with the local women’s defence forces (the YPJ).
Honouring the dead
Bilbao’s annual Aste Nagusia festival, or ‘Big Week’, began on 18 August. For its duration, a group of “basque internationalists” unofficially changed street names. This is to honour people that have died fighting for a better world. And this year, anti-terrorist fighter Anna Campbell is one of those people:
Anna Campbell internationalist fighter killed in Rojava, Kurdistan. Her memory leeds us in our struggle against capitalism and for the rights of the people. Now she has a street with her name in Bilbo, Basque Country #MekauenEguna pic.twitter.com/4OMaONIzSa
— Mekauen! konpartsa (@mekauen) August 21, 2018
The plaque describes Campbell as an “internationalist” fighter. This term is given to the estimated dozens of foreigners that have gone to Rojava to support the progressive political system there and help defend it from the terrorists who attack it. Their participation echoes the international fighters that helped anarchist and communist forces during the Spanish Civil War.
Read on...
Support us and go ad-freeThe group has also renamed four other streets in 2018. They are:
- Berta Caceres, ecological activist from Honduras.
- Marielle Franco, Brazilian feminist and human rights activist.
- Eduardo Galeano, writer and journalist from Uruguay.
- Fidel Castro, Cuban revolutionary and political leader.
Speaking to The Canary about why they change street names, a spokesperson for the group said:
We are mostly militant internationalists who work during the year with solidarity with Palestine, Kurdistan, anti-globalization, against multinationals. At parties in Bilbao we want to reflect the work done. The change of streets is done in a fun way, by day, with music. The names are chosen for their actuality or their symbolism and taking care of the visibility of women.
Anna’s memory
A Turkish missile killed Campbell on 15 March while she was helping to defend Afrin against a Turkish-led invasion. Her body is still in Rojava, but her memory has continued inspiring people around the world. There have been banner drops, murals, protests and many other forms of action in her memory. And Bilbao’s renamed street is just the latest.
Since taking control of Afrin in March, Turkey has been widely criticised for involvement in human rights abuses.
Featured image via Makauen! konpartsa
Support us and go ad-freeWe know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support
The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.
The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.
So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.