Kurdish-Turkish clashes in Europe lead to many seriously injured

A black Mercedes ploughs through a group of Kurdish demonstrators in Bern. Video from Facebook.

By Polla Garmiany

MAINZ, Germany – Violence between ethnic Kurds and Turks in Europe spilled into the weekend, with a reported attack on a Kurd in the German city of Hanover whose throat was cut and a five people hurt when a car deliberately drove into groups of Kurdish protesters in the Swiss city of Bern.

Saturday’s violence followed fierce clashes between the two communities in various German cities on Thursday, where thousands protested on both sides and police struggled to wrench them apart. The violence in Europe is a result of a war in Turkey between the government and Kurdish rebels that was reignited in July.

On Saturday, thousands from both sides again poured into the streets of European cities. 

In Hanover, a group of far-right Turks reportedly cut the throat of a young Kurd, two hours after a demonstration had officially ended.

 A police spokesman told Rudaw his condition was stable following an operation.

Hanover police also detained more than 30 people allegedly affiliated with Turkey’s Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“Honestly, most of us wanted to have a peaceful rally, but it was a mess,” said Aras Aktas, a 24-year-old Kurd at the Hanover protest.

 “The Turkish demonstration was full of aggressive people who just wanted to attack us. And, I don’t know how some aggressive people got into our ranks and started attacking the Turks and causing a chaotic atmosphere.”

In the Swiss city of Bern, a black Mercedes Benz car believed to be driven by a member of the Turkish far-right Grey Wolves, intentionally drove into groups of demonstrating Kurds, seriously injuring five. Dramatic footage of the attack was posted on Facebook.

Ihsan Demir, a 34-year-old Kurdish protester at the Bern rally, demanded a quick investigation into the driving incident.
"There are photos of the people attacking us, including the black Mercedes and its plate number,” he said. But Demir also blamed Kurds for provocations.

“I don’t understand those Kurds who attack others without being attacked first, because that’s what happened in some cases today. Being emotional is just human. However, keeping yourself under control is more important to the Kurdish cause than beating up your enemy in broad daylight in Europe. We have to preserve the good reputation we have in the West!”

For weeks now, Turkey has been carrying out near-daily air raids and attacks against the PKK in its own Kurdish southeast and in northern Iraq, where the rebels operate some military camps, infuriating Kurds worldwide.

The tensions reached boiling point after the Turkish government imposed a curfew more than a week ago in the Cizre district of the country’s southeastern Kurdish Sirnak province. 

Reports claim that more than two dozen civilians have been killed as the Turkish military imposed a curfew in Cizre and carried out what it said was a security sweep.

Other cities in Europe also saw demonstrations Saturday, including Basel, Cologne, Bielefeld and Mannheim, were police had to step in to keep groups of angry Kurds and Turks apart.

At a rally in German Pforzheim about 500 Kurds marched peacefully against the Turkish air raids and Ankara’s policies towards the Kurdish administered regions of Syria, lying just across the border.

More rallies are planned by both sides in several German cities, including in Frankfurt.

“Once again, the world is watching in silence while Kurds are dying. We need to give those a voice who are not heard,“ said Halo Ardalani, a Kurd in Germany.