Associated Press Worldstream
October 25, 2007 Thursday 3:36 PM GMT
Belgian premier appeals to ethnic Turks to stay calm after violent
protests
Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt appealed to Belgium’s ethnic Turkish
community on Thursday to show restraint, a day after some 100 youths
were detained by police due to rioting in Brussels.
Verhofstadt said he deplored the violence, which erupted after
hundreds of protesters of Turkish descent took to the streets in
several neighborhoods to demonstrate against recent attacks by
Kurdish rebels in Turkey.
"Everyone in Belgium, whatever their background, has a right to live
in freedom," Verhofstadt said. "Violence is not an answer."
Mayors of Brussels’ various municipalities backed the prime
minister’s call for call and condemned Wednesday’s violence, which
damaged cars, trams, buses and bus shelters across various
neighborhoods.
Fighting erupted after police tried to contain the youths, and 10
officers were injured. Police used water cannon and batons in
confronting the youths.
Three youths were still in custody Thursday and could face criminal
charges, officials said.
Tensions have risen in recent weeks due to the situation in Turkey,
where leaders were discussing a possible military operation into
neighboring Iraq following attacks by Kurdish rebels operating from
Iraq.
Community leaders also said tensions rose after a U.S. congressional
committee passed a resolution calling the World War I-era killings of
Armenians a genocide, which the Turks consider an affront.