VIENNA
As Europeans showed their support for the Kurdish-populated town of Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, in Syria - one protest in Austria ended violently.
Two people were stabbed in the western Austrian federal state of Vorarlberg on Saturday during a protest calling for stronger action in response to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s attack on Kobani.
A group of 500 demonstrators had gathered in Vorarlberg’s capital of Bregenz to show their support for the Syrian-Turkish border town.
A fight broke out between demonstrators and another group of protestors which was passing by.
Two people, one Turkish and the other a Thai national, were stabbed by demonstrators and taken to hospital.
Their condition was stable, according to hospital officials.
Previously, on October 6, demonstrators attacked a Turkish consulate in Austria as they protested against Turkey’s lack of support for Kurdish fighters in the besieged Syrian town.
Kurds in France show their support for Kobani
Another demonstration took place in France’s capital, Paris, where around 6,000 people called for stronger action.
The participants, comprised mainly of Kurdish groups, were supported by far-left parties and trade unions.
Protests also took place in the cities of Bordeaux and Lyon.
Major protest in Germany
At least 20,000 people attended Saturday’s demonstration in Germany’s western city of Dusseldorf.
Demonstrators showed their support by chanting slogans such as: “Freedom for Kobani”, “Stop the massacre in Kobani” and “[Germany] Don’t stand against humanity, fight for it.”
Denmark shows support for Kobani
A group of demonstrators of Turkish, Syrian, Iraqi and Iranian origin also protested in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen.
The group passed by the Turkish and Iranian embassies and chanted slogans against the countries.
No incidents, however, were reported during the demonstration.
In Turkey, protesters have claimed that the Turkish government is doing nothing to halt the advance of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the besieged Syrian town just across the Turkish border.
The demonstrators clashed with police, closed roads to traffic by setting up barricades and attacked security forces.
In response, security forces used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the angry crowds.
Protests -- which have now largely subsided -- raged over the course of last week in different parts of the country.
The death toll from the "illegal" pro-Kurdish protests in Turkey rose to 33 on Saturday.
www.aa.com.tr/en
