On Friday, December 23, fighting broke out in Paris, the French capital, between police and members of the Kurdish community.
According to reports, the Kurdish men gathered in front of the Ahmet-Kaya Kurdish centre on Rue d'Enghien in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. The alteration was brought about by a "racist event" that resulted in the deaths of three Kurdish activists.
Despite the calm beginning of the protests, the situation with law and order quickly deteriorated. When the protesters tried to jump barricades, the police were obliged to use tear gas to disperse them.
Reports state that the Kurdish protests also vandalized vehicles and lit streets on fire. They also threw things at the police. On CCTV, a confrontational protester was also seen hurling a bench at the authorities.
Later on Saturday, the Place de la Republique hosted a gathering that the Kurdish Democratic Council in France (CDK-F) attended. The gathering was attended by the local mayor, Alexandra Cordebard (December 24). Hundreds of Kurdish protesters attended the ceremony and watched the mourning rituals for the dead.
"We are in danger, and Kurds in general as well as activists and militants are aware of it." According to CDK-F spokesperson Berivan Firat, "France owes us security." In a meeting with the chief of the Parisian police, Laurent Nunez, Kurds expressed their concerns about the absence of police protection.
On December 23, William M, a 69-year-old white supremacist, started shooting at three activists in front of a Kurdish community centre in Paris' 10th arrondissement.
The suspect also went into the nearby hair salon, where he was held hostage and injured on the face. The victims included two men and one woman. Three more 'racial attack victims' are currently undergoing life-saving medical care.
William was previously charged with attempting to kill someone in 2016 and attacking a migrant centre with a knife in 2021. William is a rail worker by trade.
Eyewitness Ali Dalek told the BBC that he heard gunfire as he and other people were walking down the street. "We looked around and saw people running away in both directions. Then, after waiting for about five or six minutes, we entered the hair salon because we know several of the employees and saw that a man had been arrested."
According to reports, the cops had no trouble locating the gun and capturing William. They interrogated the accused as well and provided him with a racist defence for his behaviour.
According to a statement from French President Emmanuel Macron, an atrocious attack on the Kurds in France was the intended objective. The people who are fighting for their lives, as well as their families and loved ones, are in our prayers. The bravery and humour of the security personnel are greatly appreciated.
Similar murders of three female Kurdish activists occurred in Paris earlier in January 2013. The victims were Sakine Cansiz, Fidan Dogan, and Leyla Soylemez.
The Kurds are the fourth-largest ethnic group in the Middle East. They are scattered between the Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Armenian borders, and the majority of them are Sunni Muslims. They were promised nationhood after the First World War and the demise of the Ottoman Empire, but they do not have any states.
Kurdish people make up about 20% of Turkey's population. The Turkish government has subjected the Kurds to barbaric horrors by outlawing the use of the Kurdish language, outlawing Kurdish clothing and names, and denying them independence or autonomy.
