ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A group of Turkish nationalists attacked several Kurdish families who were returning from Kurdish New Year (Newroz) celebrations in Belgium’s northeastern province of Limburg, late Sunday. Police say six people have been injured, adding that one person has been detained over the incident.
Footage of Kurdish families being attacked on the streets and in their cars and houses by a number of Turks in the Heusden-Zolder and Houthalen-Helchteren municipalities of Limburg province went viral late Sunday. The videos purportedly showed the Kurdish community being beaten by the group who also burned the Kurdistan flag. Moreover, the aggressors chanted “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for “God is great” and an expression often used to shame nonbelievers, against the Kurds, despite the fact that most Kurds are Muslims.
Kurds celebrate Newroz on March 21 and the following days by picnicking in the countryside and lighting bonfires with their families and loved ones.
Belgian public broadcaster VRT cited Vicky Flossy of the CARMA Local Police Service as saying that at least six people were injured, one of whom seriously.
“The police are currently examining CCTV images in an effort to identify additional suspects,” Flossy added.
The state media also reported that one person has been detained over the incident. The broadcaster said the incident took place when a group of Kurds returning from Newroz celebrations passed through the Turkish-majority municipality of Heusden-Zolder.
Turkish state media accused the Kurdish convoy of being aligned with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and provoking the Turkish community by carrying the armed group’s flags.
“The Turks responded to the group, resulting in an altercation,” Anadolu Agency reported.
Some attackers posted their assault on Kurdish families on their social media accounts.
VRT said after the altercation, a large number of police were deployed to the region.
“These included officers from several local police services. A helicopter was also deployed, and a water cannon was used to drive the two groups apart”, it reported.
The Turkish group was reportedly affiliated to Grey Wolves, an ultra-nationalist group closely linked to Turkey’s ruling coalition party the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and is infamous for its racist attacks on Kurds in Europe. During the attacks some of the Turkish attackers on Sunday did a wolf salute with their fingers which is associated with the ultra-nationalist group.
The European Parliament in 2021 called on member states to apply the terror label to the Grey Wolves movement and ban the group in Europe, calling the group “especially threatening for people with a Kurdish, Armenian or Greek background and anyone they consider an opponent.”
Soon after the videos of attacks on Kurdish families went viral, Kurds took to social media and called for protests.
The following day, Kurdish diaspora in several European cities held demonstrations, condemning the brutal attacks on Kurdish families in Belgium.
Rudaw English reached out to the Belgian foreign ministry but has yet to receive a response.
