WATCH: German police use pepper spray to disperse protestors at Afrin rally
Police in Germany on Sunday used pepper spray against pro-Kurdish protestors demonstrating against Turkey's ongoing military campaign in Afrin.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Police in Germany on Sunday used pepper spray against pro-Kurdish protestors demonstrating against Turkey’s ongoing military campaign in Syrian Kurdistan’s Afrin region.
Several people were left injured following violent clashes between pro-Kurdish demonstrators and Turks at Duesseldorf airport, prompting police to use force to disperse the crowds.
Footage circulating on social media shows police using pepper spray against some of the protestors who were voicing their concerns with Ankara’s military incursion against the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Afrin.
Germany- An unregistered demonstration of over 200 people against the Turkish offensive in Afrin escalated and led to a huge brawl between Kurds and Turks at the airport in Düsseldorf. pic.twitter.com/H7rjhLZ9Of
— Stan (@StanM3) March 11, 2018
The rally contained about 150 people who chanted pro-Kurdish slogans and held banners that read “Afrin is becoming our Vietnam – We will defeat fascism.”
According to German authorities, the altercations between Kurds, Turks, and police led to “a number of people suffering injuries.”
The demonstrations, which began outside of the airport, eventually continued inside where the violence erupted.
Just now in Dusseldorf, Germany
— Kurdistan Solidarity Campaign (@KurdsCampaign) March 11, 2018
Crowds chant "Long live the Afrin resistance!" - "Bijî berxwedana Afrînê!"#DefendAfrin #StopAfrinGenocide pic.twitter.com/CrW8QJciIY
Ankara’s offensive on the Kurdish-held enclave in northwestern Syria is now in its 51st day as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to increase the operation beyond Afrin.
Turkey launched its offensive against the YPG on Jan. 20 claiming that the Kurdish forces, which it argues are an offshoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), represent a “terrorist” threat to its southern borders.
The US, who has supported the YPG in its campaign to defeat the Islamic State in Syria, does not agree with Ankara’s designation and has called on Turkey to limit its operations.
Over 200 civilians have been killed as a result of the ongoing offensive with scores more injured.