TURKS’ ANTI-TERROR PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT IN BELGIUM
Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Oct 26 2007
100 detained Belgian police have detained more than 100 youths
after clashes between Turkish protesters and the authorities left 10
policemen injured. Fighting broke out in several neighborhoods of the
capital on Wednesday after police tried to contain a demonstration
protesting recent attacks by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK) in Turkey. "More than 100 people were detained and some of them
were arrested for serious infractions," police spokesman David Yansenne
told the RTBF network. "Ten policemen were injured," he said. It was
unclear how many protesters were hurt in the clashes. Police used water
cannons and batons to confront hundreds of youths. The violence was
linked to the situation in Turkey. Leaders there Wednesday discussed
a possible military operation into neighboring Iraq following attacks
by the PKK terrorists operating from Iraq. Community leaders also said
tensions rose after a US congressional committee passed a resolution
that backed Armenian allegations of genocide. "This has been fomenting
for a few days, and the situation in Turkey is linked to that,"
said Beatrice Meulemans, an alderwoman in the heavily immigrant
municipality of St. Josse.