Antwerp hit by heavy ethnic rioting

Saturday's riot was the third incident between Kurds and Turks in only a week's time. It was around 10 PM that Antwerp police received the first reports of a brawl out on the street. Within minutes the belligerents were joined by several hundred members of the two communities. It was especially young people who joined in the fracas.

A massive police presence attended the scene. Police officers did their best to separate the two groups and prevent further fighting. At one point the rioters hurled street paving stones at the police that responded with tear gas. Calm returned around 1:30 AM.

The rioting has caused considerable material damage. Shop windows were shattered, cars were trashed and bus shelters damaged. A number of people had to be taken to hospital for treatment, but all have now been discharged. The police also report one stabbing in which one person was injured, but the exact circumstances have not yet been established.

At the beginning of the week petrol bombs were thrown at a Turkish Cultural Centre in the same street. Who is responsible remains unclear, but Turkish people in Antwerp blamed the Kurds. Later in the week a group of Kurds wanted to hand in a petition at city hall, but there was nobody there to meet them. A score of petitioners was detained for a while.