German Kurds Continue Rallying amid Heavy Police Presence
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - More than 2 thousand German Kurds gathered in Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe to protest the lack of action by the international community to protect the Kurdish population that face an imminent threat from militants in Syria.
In Stuttgart about 1,500 people gathered in support of the Kurds after the afternoon's multi-day vigil at the Schlossplatz. A large police presence insured order in the city, as the police seized several dangerous items – from pepper spray up to a machete, Stuttgarter-Nachrichten reports. No other incidents were reported, but authorities said that they were prepared to respond to violence
“We adapt our forces to the behavior of the demonstrators,” Stuttgart’s Interior Ministry spokesman said, Stuttgarter-zeitung reports.
“It cannot be that people get beheaded, women raped and children are kidnapped,” Hikmet Eser, a protester told Schwaebische news. “But the world is watching this.”
Rallies in Mannheim and Karlsruhe drew far lesser crowds, following serious clashes with pro-jihadist on Tuesday night that injured at least 23 people in Hamburg and Celle.
On Thursday, Hamburg authorities said that over 1,000 Kurds took the streets the night before , as police announced that they confiscated weapons including machetes, baseball bats and one gun. Police said 64 people were detained, RT reported.
Sporadic clashes did erupt but mass violence was avoided as pro-jihadists and Kurd hurled rocks and bottles at each other. One person was reportedly hospitalized.
